Peonies and Chrysanthemums
by pluie du nord
Summary: A series of drabbles centered around China and Japan- brothers, enemies, lovers. Chapters are modeled after words generated randomly. Rated M for various touchy subjects.
1. Youth

MOOOORE NICHU! Heh, you all just can't get enough of my stories of this pairing, can you? Well, I was itching to post something new, and I am probably going to turn this into a drabble series, actually! I went to a random word generator and it spat out _Youth_, so I spat out this beauty. If I do decide to turn this into a multi-chapter project of sorts, I will do the same for the other drabble/chapter things.

I hope you enjoy it, and the drabbles that follow. :)

**Hetalia is not mine okay now read.**

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><p>How fondly and vividly Yao remembers Kiku as a child both frightens and delights him. His beloved student, younger brother, temporary enemy, and current lover held far too many traits from the early years- his haircut, handwriting, emotionless eyes and permanent stone-cold expression... large details and little things alike. Yao took notice of every single one and let them wrack his brain for restless days and sleepless nights. Kiku had become older, stronger, and very much different, but definitely not unrecognizable. Yao would always think of him as the little boy in the bamboo thicket- the strange, foreign-looking toddler with the monotonous voice and odd name.<p>

The memory of the tell-tale meeting between the two nations, brothers, and soulmates came flooding back to Yao's mind so suddenly one night; a balmy evening, right back at that bamboo thicket.

"There you are, Kiku!" the elder exclaimed at the sight of his Japanese companion. The smaller man had disappeared after a shared dinner between the two, having walked hours away from home back to the place he had been discovered thousands of years ago- a place Yao barely recognized, that had been erased from his mind with time. "Don't go vanishing like that! I have been walking for three hours looking for you! What are you doing all of the way out here?"

Kiku idly picked at a bamboo shoot, not lifting his head to meet Yao's gaze. "I came out here to think. I apologize for leaving so abruptly..." He paused, weighing the situation in his head- a habit of his, "but I find it curious as to why it took you so long to find me, and _here_, of all places."

"_Here_, of all places," Yao deadpanned. "What on earth do you mean by that? Kiku, it's late, we should start heading-"

"You have no idea where we are, do you?" the younger nation interrupted. He pulled an entire shoot of bamboo out of the ground and pointed it at the Chinese man, watching expectantly. All of a sudden, the memories started to come back.

Yao was dumbfounded. How could he forget? This bamboo thicket, the very bamboo thicket the pair had first met... he was standing right in the middle of it. "T-this is-"

"Yes," Kiku cut him short again. "This is where we first met. Not only that," he set the slender shoot down and helped himself up to his feet, "this is where I used to go when I wanted to think. You used to come running after me after hours of my being missing, and always find me here. Then, we would walk home, hand in hand. Even I remember that, Yao-_ge_." Kiku smiled fondly and reached for Yao's hand, who offered it gladly. "It still looks the same. Beautiful, isn't it?"

Tear-filled amber eyes explored the area. Somehow, he remembered it all. The two of them had been in that thicket many times, and Yao had a feeling that this would not be the last one. "Y-yes, it is," he nodded, using his free hand to wipe a single falling tear. "But like I said, it is getting late. L-let's go home, alright... _didi_?"

"Of course," Kiku replied with a nod. He placed a light kiss onto Yao's cheek and led the pair out into the open forest. They walked home, hand in hand, just as before.

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><p>Thereeee we go! Maybe the next chapter will be longer. Everything I write is so painfully short. I apologize and will work on that!<p>

Yao-ge pretty much just means "brother Yao." Gege is Chinese for older brother, so... yes. Didi is younger brother in Chinese.

If you haven't read the strip/seen the anime episode where Yao and Kiku meet, they do actually meet in a bamboo thicket. It's really weird, but baby!Kiku is as cute as can be.

I am titling the series _Peonies and Chrysanthemums_, simply because the peony is a national flower of China and the chrysanthemum is a national flower of Japan. (Not to mention Kiku's name means chrysanthemum.)

Okay, I will stop talking. Review, review, review! Thanks for reading! :D


	2. Date

Ack! I'm terribly sorry for having not updated for... almost a year. Oops. I've gone through a lot since then, but hopefully, I'm back! Here's chapter two of Peonies and Chrysanthemums! This one was based around the word _Date_. Enjoy! :)

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><p>Romance was never a strong point of Kiku's. Even after years of practice and silent observation, he was never able to pick up the charm of Francis or passion of Antonio. He struggled his way through the first few months of he and Yao's romantic relationship (though Yao said he didn't mind, Kiku knew better than to believe his awkwardness pleased Yao as much as he would lead on); and, eventually, he sought change. A prim, pressed suit was picked, restaurant reservations were made, and a giant bouquet of peonies was ordered before Kiku had the chance to tell Yao about it all.<p>

"You want to do... what?"

"A date," Kiku repeated into the phone receiver. "I want to treat you to dinner. A night out. The next time you visit, that is. You are still coming next weekend, right?"

"Of course I am," answered Yao, on the other end. "I'm just confused. We never go out. Did someone else talk you into this?"

"No! I just... want to do this for you. I care about you. I want you to have a romantic night out once and a while."

Quiet Mandarin was heard on the other end. "Alright, Kiku... whatever you say. I am not sure what came over you to cause this, but I will go along."

"Good!" Kiku's face lit up with a victorious smile. "Remember to bring your best tailored suit. It will be great, I promise."

"Okay, Kiku. I will see you then."

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><p>"Kiku, stop shaking. People are watching us."<p>

"S-sorry." Kiku made several very unsuccessful attempts in getting his entire body to stop trembling. Other customers stared as the Japanese man spoke louder than necessary, his date speaking low. It was a bit more than obvious that Kiku was nervous.

"Also, keep your voice down. Aiya... maybe we should just go-"

"No! I-I mean... we haven't even had our food yet. Just have a bit of wine; everything will be fine." Kiku reached out for Yao's glass, shaking hands gripping the neck... until a slip knocked the fragile dish over and shattered it. Horror spread across both of their faces.

"Well," Kiku glanced down at the shards of glass, dumbfounded, "no wine, then..."

"Kiku, really, I think we should leave-"

"No!" Kiku interrupted. "There is no need for that, Yao, we'll be fi- oh, there's our food!" At that moment, the waiter arrived at their table with a spread of various styles of sushi.

However hesitant he was, Yao sighed and gave in. The pair ate their sushi in a deadly silence. Kiku stared at the other for almost the entire evening, wanting to say something, compliment his impeccably pressed suit and tie, tell him just how stunning he looked... but the words would not form. Yao seemed to enjoy the food, but to Kiku, every piece of sushi- no matter how carefully crafted- tasted bland to him. No matter how much salt or soy sauce he added, the flavor was the same.

Finally, the night drew to a close, and Kiku covered the bill (even over Yao's protests). Though, nothing could prepare them for what they would view outside of the restaurant... a downpour. Rain crashed against the streets of Tokyo as people with umbrellas and heavy raincoats dashed into whatever buildings they could find. Kiku cursed himself for forgetting an umbrella as they climbed into a taxi- which they had to share with two American tourists.

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><p>Home could not come fast enough for the downtrodded Kiku. His stomach was unsatisfied, his suit was soaking wet, and worst of all... his date with Yao, his beloved, had gone terribly wrong. He swore to every kami he could remember the name of that he would never, <em>ever<em> ask Yao out on a date again. After all, being indoors was much more appealing.

"Yao, I'm terribly sorry," he said once they were nearly settled and warm in the comfort of Kiku's bedroom. "That was a bad idea. I truly feel awful. Forgive me."

The other simply smiled and took his hand. "Kiku... an evening spent with you is a lovely one, no matter what. I had a splendid time. Thank you, _wo de qing ren_. We must do it again some time."

"Oh..." a blush crept onto Kiku's face, slowly but surely. He squeezed Yao's hand lightly and smiled back. "Y-you are welcome, I suppose. I promise that next time will be better, though! I will be less nervous and I will pick a better restaurant and check the weather forecast and-"

The Chinese man cut his lover off with a laugh and a sweet kiss, one that was gladly returned. "Right, Kiku. Now, let's go to sleep." With a gentle, loving hand, Yao pushed Kiku onto the mattress and laid another kiss to a pair of parted lips.

"Right... goodnight, Yao," Kiku murmured as sleep began to take him over, "I love you."

"I love you too," Yao replied, closing his eyes and slipping his arms around the smaller man. They fell asleep, breathing in sync, both dreaming of the next outing to come.

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><p><em>wo de qing ren <em>means "my lover/sweetheart" in Mandarin. That's it.

Hopefully I'll have another update up soon! Thanks for sticking around!


	3. Decline

Goodness, I updated quickly! I just couldn't resist; I went to the random word generator, it gave me a word, and suddenly I had an idea. So, here's the next chapter! The word for this particular drabble is _Decline_.

**Warning: This chapter contains hints of attempted suicide at the end, so if that's not something you're into, please don't read.**

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><p>Today was the day. He had to do it now, or he was positive he would burst. Deep, repressed feelings of love and anguish sat in the depths of Kiku's soul for as long as he could remember. He was undeniably smitten with one Wang Yao, his elder, mentor, non-biological brother. Though they had not spoken for years, something inside of Kiku nagged at him to let it out. He couldn't tell any of his friends- not Feliciano, not Ludwig, not Heracles, not even Alfred, despite how close they had gotten. He simply had to tell Yao.<p>

But how?

During a restless night on a whim, Kiku sat watching the moon (one of his favorite pastimes, though it was never the same without Yao), a candle lit at his side, and wrote a letter, pouring his heart out in the form of ink and ancient paper.

_Yao,_

_I suppose this form of communication will have to do in regards to what I am about to proclaim. I hope that you will consider this letter, as I write each word with careful choice. As long as you have known me, you should be aware that direct speaking is a weak aspect of my personality, and that I hope to pass my feelings to you through this meticulously planned piece. I pray that you will not grow bored, as my writing may span pages. I apologize in advance._

_Onward._

_My dear Yao… I have admired your perfect, gentle form from our first moon spent together. Your hair as fine as the first ink brush you placed in my hand; your eyes shining as the stars at night did the first time I requested to sleep in your chamber as a small, scared boy; your smile more warm and beautiful than the finest sea… and such a loving, welcoming heart you had, you have, you always will have. Even as I grew, needed you less (though I never truly needed you less, however much I made you believe it), became strong and independent… everything was- is- a façade. Just as it was when I was a child, your elegance, charm, beauty, and brilliant personality keep me living through my days- yes, even now, as a grown man of nearly three thousand years. I found myself falling deeper and deeper in love as the years waned like the moon, and the falling has not stopped with the waning. Knowing that you once cared for, and even loved me, I am content. I simply ask that you would learn to do so again._

_I have never allowed myself to love another- a being that is not you. The pain of allowing another nation, man or woman, to rob me of my first loving relationship, to steal my first kiss, to take my virginity right before my eyes… it would be far too great. I must know if I have a chance; if you can love me again, as an equal rather than as an inferior, as a lover rather than a brother. Friendship is not enough, and it shall never be. Brotherhood is far too weak for what I feel toward you, and is also too little. If your forgiveness is true, but you do not wish to love me as an equal, I suppose that I deserve that fate. But, I must know if I have a chance, the privilege to hold you in my arms and kiss you, to make love to you, to adore you for another three thousand years and beyond, just as you deserve._

_I love you as the first man loved the first woman, as the first drought loved the first rainfall, as the first king loved his country, I ask- I pray- I beg that you consider this… that you consider me._

_Again, I say, I love you._

_- Kiku_

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><p>Day after agonizing day, Kiku awaited a response. He would check the mailbox with shaky hands and sweat dripping down his forehead, despite the mild temperature of mid-spring. The mailbox would not go two hours without being searched, even though mail was only delivered once a day. Kiku did not think twice, even when his pets began to worry and follow him to make sure he had not gone mad. Perhaps he had, but a dog and a cat knew no difference.<p>

Finally, a response came. His heart pounded like a _taiko_ drum, over and over and over; his head rushed with blood, his fingers shook violently... it took him nearly ten minutes to rip open the envelope and pull out the letter. Far too anxious to keep it to himself, he read Yao's words in fine Chinese script aloud:

_Kiku,_

_Thank you for writing to me. It is good to hear from you, to know that you are doing well. I suppose you are, if you have the time to sit and write to your gege... but I digress._

_I regret to inform you that you are too late. I am in a relationship with Ivan, and we are very happy. He understands me, and treats me like I deserve to be, and he would never stab me in the back like you did. If only you were a few years earlier..._

_Regardless, I would like to see you someday. I hope you're eating well. Please write again. We can sit down for tea after the next meeting, providing that I don't already have plans with Ivan._

_Again... I'm sorry._

_- Yao_

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><p>Kiku held the letter in his violently trembling hands. He wanted badly to rip it apart, tear it to shreds, erase the horrible reminder that Yao could not be his, that he was just a fool and a damned <em>idiot<em> for thinking his feelings could be reciprocated. But other than the shaking, he was completely frozen. A flood of tears escaped from his eyes and stained the paper, ink running all the way to the floor. Kiku lay on top of it, still sobbing and clutching the letter, and fell asleep, not bothering to clean the black ink off of the floor.

The next morning, Kiku found a dull _tanto_ in an idle drawer, in desperate need of sharpening. He took his time to calmly trim it up in favor of breakfast, made sure that his pets were not around, and shut the door to his bedroom.

Kneeling next to the window, Yao's letter still stained with Kiku's tears perched on the windowsill, he readied the knife in one hand as he peeled open his _kimono_ with the other. The very tip of the blade was cold on his bare abdomen, and it sent a shiver down the Japanese man's spine. He almost stopped himself, almost put the knife down...

Until a twitch in his forearm sent the blade deep, deep into his stomach, slowly tearing apart his intestines.

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><p><em>taiko <em>is the Japanese word for drum.

_tanto _is a Japanese knife often used for _seppuku_ (ritual suicide where one slits their abdomen).

_kimono _is a Japanese clothing garment.

I apologize if that made your stomach turn; I promise the next chapter will be happier! Thank you for reading!


	4. Husband

I'm baaaaaaaaack! I know it's soon, but... I just couldn't resist posting this. It's too cute to let sit for too long. This particular chapter probably takes place far in the future, as I really can't see Japan legalizing same-sex marriage in the present or near future... but oh well. It's based off the word _Husband_. I hope you enjoy it!

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><p>It had finally happened. Same-sex marriage had become legalized in Japan, it being one of the first Asian nations to do so. Yao knew that his country had a long way to go in this endeavor, but this was close enough. He wanted he and Kiku to be wed from the moment they began a relationship- maybe even before that. All he knew was that they were meant to be together forever, and he thought it should be official. But no, he would not make a big deal out of it, nor would he beat around the bush. It only took two simple words.<p>

"Marry me."

Upon hearing this, Kiku choked on a soba noodle. _What a casual thing to say at the dinner table!, _was his first thought, but those words were clouded by embarrassment. "W-what? Could you please repeat that?"

"You heard me, Kiku," Yao replied, a soft smile gracing his lips, "marry me. You saw the news yesterday, didn't you?"

"O-of course... in fact, I was at the meeting." The Japanese man carefully picked up another noodle, making sure to eat it before Yao had a chance to say anything else. "So... you are saying you want us to get... married?"

"Indeed." Yao's smile grew wider. "It's about time, don't you think?" At this, Kiku grew very red. His lover chuckled and took his hand. "Come now, Kiku. How long have we been together? It must be approaching a hundred years now, and we're both getting old. We're already bound by the string, but it's only visible to me. A wedding ring is much more noticeable."

Kiku's face grew even redder. "I-I don't know, Yao... marriage is a huge commitment, and the wedding could be expensive, and..." he let a long pause linger, considering the options. "... could I have some more time to think?"

"Sure," Yao's voice showed a bit of disappointment, but he masked it with yet another smile. For Kiku, he would wait forever.

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><p>Later that night, Yao found Kiku sitting outside, watching the moon alone, a hobby they normally shared together. He sat beside him quietly, admiring the night sky, until Kiku spoke up (to Yao's surprise).<p>

"I thought about your question."

Yao braced himself for the worst. Kiku was unreadable, unpredictable. "And...?"

Suddenly, a wide smile broke out on Kiku's features; even small tears prickled at the corners of his eyes. "Of course," he said, "of course I will marry you. Nothing would make me happier. I was foolish to even consider rejecting. I would love to be your husband."

Tears of his own began to form in Yao's eyes. He couldn't recall a moment when his heart was beating faster, when he was feeling any happier. "Good," he said, pulling out a small box from the folds of his _changshan_ and placing it in Kiku's hand. "Now I don't have to return this." Inside was a simple silver band, the characters 地久天长 engraved on the top. Kiku began to cry harder as Yao carefully slipped the ring on his finger.

"I-it's beautiful," he managed to spit out through tears, "thank you so much... I love you, I love you, I love you." Feeling the fatigue of utter joy, he fell into his lover's arms, the embrace gratefully returned. The smaller man continued to repeat _I love you_, still crying, as the elder stroked his hair and echoed his I love yous. They sat and watched the moon like this, holding each other like treasured items, until sleep came over them like a gentle wave.

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><p>When Yao says <em>"We're already bound by the string,"<em> he's referring to "The Red String of Fate," an invisible string that connects soulmates. In my headcanon, Yao can see everyone's strings, and he and Kiku are attached, therefore soulmates.

_changshan_ is an article of Chinese clothing.

地久天长, the engraving on Kiku's engagement ring, roughly translates to "enduring while the world lasts" in simplified Chinese, which is basically a way to say "everlasting love."

Once again, thanks for reading! Don't be afraid to drop by and leave a review! I hope I made you smile! :)


	5. Rip

Oh, hey. I'm back once more for some delicious ChuNi. :D This time around, I used the word _Rip_. Unfortunately, this drabble has very little to do with that word... I just used it as an excuse to write smut. That being said, here comes the warning!

**Warning: This chapter contains smut (aka a blowjob, to be crude). If you aren't into smut, back away slowly.**

Onward!

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><p>Yao couldn't help but stare.<p>

Dear, sweet Kiku was looking positively delectable on this particular summer day, wearing a light _yukata _made of pure silk. Despite his modesty, the garment came up to his knees, and Yao caught little peeks of the other man's thighs whenever he sat or walked with his quick, almost neurotic pace. Kiku's thighs were absolutely perfect in Yao's eyes; almost girly in shape, they had more meat on them than the rest of Kiku's body combined. All Yao wanted to do was to touch them, kiss them, rake his fingers in and around them, lap his tongue over them... but doing so wasn't easy. Kiku was surprisingly aware of his surroundings, and not easy to surprise. Yao had to be very careful if he was going to get his hands on those beautiful thighs.

As they were getting ready for bed that night, he caught an opportunity. Kiku was standing by the wardrobe, searching for night garments, when a lightbulb appeared in Yao's mind, flickering like a newly kindled spark. He feigned distress in unbuttoning his _changshan _as an excuse to call his lover over.

"Kiku, could you come help me? My buttons are stuck," he said, adding a bit of allure to his voice. Kiku didn't notice, or he seemed not to, because he went over with no hesitation.

"Of course," he replied, beginning to work on the first button. Yao watched in perfect silence, waiting for the best time to move. "I can't seem to get it," said Kiku, "these are really stuck."

Bam. Yao grabbed Kiku roughly under the armpits, tossed him onto their bed, and threw himself on top of him. To say that the man on the bottom was shocked would be an understatement.

Kiku's face turned bright red and he began to wriggle, confused and oddly aroused at the same time. "Y-Yao, what are you doing?"

"Hush," he replied with a light purr, making sure that Kiku would remain silent with a kiss. He hesitated not one bit in deepening it, immediately adding tongue and curious hands, those hands working to part the _yukata _slightly. This ilicited a slight moan from the other, which encouraged Yao even more. Pulling away from the kiss on his lips in favor of sucking on his neck, he immediately began to massage Kiku's thighs with both hands, earning absolutely no complaints. The Japanese man twitched slightly in pleasure, quietly encouraging more in a low, breathy spoken Japanese- a plea that Yao was very willing to give in to.

Seconds later, he ripped Kiku's _yukata_ completely off of his body and threw it across the room, landing on the wardrobe Kiku was previously standing at. Before he got a chance to pull his underwear down, another lightbulb flickered; he began to nuzzle Kiku's covered crotch with his face, toying with his ever growing erection, while still touching his thighs.

This action earned several more moans from the very aroused Kiku; at this point, he was sure he'd burst any time now. Thankfully, Yao responded accordingly and pulled the other man's undergarments down, almost torturously slowly, with his front teeth. Meanwhile, his long nails raked down the meatiest parts of Kiku's lovely, pale, twitching thighs, leaving light pink lines. He stopped at the place where Kiku's hip met his thigh and left a rough bite mark, claiming the other as his possession- not enough to break skin or draw blood, but enough to earn a grin from the Chinese man. As he did the same to the other hip, Kiku nearly screeched, desperate for Yao, desperate for more. He kicked his legs and reached his hand down to grab at Yao's hair, pulling roughly. Yao let out his own moan, long and throaty, and complied, moving his head back down to Kiku's crotch and carefully taking his erection in his hands.

"Are you ready?" Yao asked, which earned an instant nod from the other end. Not hesitating a bit, he took all of Kiku into his mouth, pushing back as far as he could, his tongue just able to lap at Kiku's testicles. One hand remained at the base of Kiku's penis while the other explored both thighs at the same time, fingernails scratching and fingertips revelling in the softness of the skin. Yao kept a steady pace, flicking his tongue around the shaft and the tip, while gently raking his teeth over for more effect. Kiku's whole body shivered in delight as sweat began to trickle down his forehead and chest, small thrusts of his hips keeping in time with Yao's mouth.

Yao began to increase his speed, as did Kiku, until they were in perfect harmony of each other, both sweating and salivating and savoring the intimacy. Meanwhile, Yao had reached a hand down to his own erection in the constricting hold of his pants and had began to stroke himself at the same pace his mouth was going, a feat that was not easy. The two continued for a great deal of time, and had Kiku not been busy in euphoria, he would have sworn that this had been the longest time Yao's mouth had been on him.

Finally, without warning, Kiku came accompanied with a small yelp, and Yao followed suit several seconds later. He pulled his hand out of his pants, swallowed Kiku's essence, and reached over to the nightstand to grab a tissue for cleaning. Kiku's breaths came out as pants, and sweat still glistened all over his body. This alone made Yao grin. "Did you have fun_, wo de qing ren_?"

"Hai," Kiku answered in between breaths, not fully realizing that he had switched to Japanese, "I mean... yes. T-that was... unexpected."

Yao chuckled lightly and laid down next to his beautifully naked lover, draping an arm around his bare waist. "I'm sorry... you just looked so irrestible in that _yukata_ of yours; I had to get my hands on those wonderful thighs."

Kiku flushed a light red, hiding his face from Yao. "R-right," he mumbled... though he thought to himself that the _yukata_ was a good idea, after all of the debating he did. He remembered to wear another one in a few days time.

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><p><em>yukata<em> is an article of Japanese clothing, usually worn in warmer weather and made of lighter fabric.

_changshan_ is an article of Chinese clothing.

_wo de qing ren_ means "my lover/sweetheart," a phrase I also used in chapter two, _Date_.

Thank you for reading! Have a lovely day!


	6. Frame

I update so quickly, I'm sorry! I just can't help myself; when I get an idea, I have to write it! This chapter is much more tame than the last one; it uses the word _Frame_. I hope you enjoy reading it!

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><p>It came as no surprise to anyone that Yao had tons of pictures around his house. Small frames and large ones alike, he held memories in various paintings and photographs. They were treasures that could not be replaced, special keepsakes that remained dear to his heart from the moment they were placed in his hands. One day while Kiku was over, he decided to showcase every single one of them- and there were hundreds.<p>

"Oh, this is a painting of me in front of the emperor's palace!" Yao exclaimed, pointing to an old portrait of a younger version of himself standing with the imperial council, smiling despite everyone else's stone-cold expressions. Kiku chuckled; typical Yao.

"Ahh, and this is an old painting I did myself," he said, picking one up and offering it to Kiku. "One day, I saw a panda in the forest, so I just sat down and painted it! Isn't he cute?"

"Very," Kiku said, smiling down at the paper in his hands. "You were very astute to detail, Yao. How old is this?"

Yao tilted his head in thought. "Oh, at least a thousand years. You were around then, but cameras weren't. Oh, speaking of cameras...!" Suddenly, they came across a black and white photograph of Yao standing in front of a street vendor, dozens of people walking behind him. "This is the first photograph I ever had taken of myself. Amazing, right?"

"Amazing indeed," Kiku agreed, running his finger over the dusty piece of history. _Even then, Yao was incredibly handsome_, Kiku thought. _The black and white can't hide that._

"Oh, here's a good one!" Yao laughed, picking up a picture of Wan, Yong Soo, and Hong. Wan appeared to be crying, while Yong Soo laughed with a bag of flour in his hands. Apparently, Yong Soo had spilled the flour all over Wan, a dare made by Hong. Hong, as always, had a blank expression on his face. Kiku couldn't help but laugh as well.

"How typical of them," he interjected. "Poor Wan."

Yao nodded in agreement. "Indeed... oh, Kiku. I want to show you my absolute favorite picture. I'll be right back." Smiling with intent, Yao stood up and went to another room, leaving Kiku waiting. He returned with a picture frame decorated gracefully with flowers- chrysanthemums, Kiku noted. Could it be a coincidence?

Inside the picture frame, he found his answer. The photograph was of him, and only him. Yao had just gotten a Polaroid camera from Alfred and he was figuring out how to work it. Somehow, he caught Kiku smiling and snapped the picture. "This," Yao said softly, grinning down at the photo, his hand sitting gently on the side of the frame, "is my favorite picture. You look so happy."

Kiku couldn't help but grin. He took Yao's free hand in one of his and kissed the top of it gently. "I do. You caught me by surprise that time. Say... can I take a picture of you, Yao?"

Confused, but compliant, Yao nodded and posed. Kiku took out his cell phone, pressed a button, and immediately set the image as his cell phone's background.

"Now, this..." Kiku showed his phone to Yao, his finger gently running across the screen, "is _my_ favorite picture."

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><p>No notes for this one... unless you're unfamiliar with a few of the names I used. Yong Soo is South Korea, Wan is Taiwan, and Hong is Hong Kong.<p>

This was very fluffy. Perhaps the next one will take a turn towards angst... we'll see. :) Thanks for reading!


	7. Mark

Hi! I'm back once again! This time around, I used the word _Mark_. It has a tad bit of smut in it, but it's much more tame than chapter five, I promise. Just some kissing and mentions of sex and nudity, as well as a few references to scars. Nothing too bad. Now, read and enjoy! :)

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><p>It was their first time, and Kiku was as nervous as he could get.<p>

He had never been naked in front of Yao- at least, not since he was much younger. But he had grown, his body had changed... he had scars that Yao had no idea about. Two large ones, one on each of his hips, like bullet wounds. Several small ones on his upper arms and thighs. Many long, dark ones on his abdomen. A few patches of darker skin- radiation burn. He was ashamed of each mark; they were all reminders of a painful, sinful past. Some were as fresh as a month old- a fact he was even more ashamed of.

As much as he loved Yao, and as much as he wanted to give himself to him for the first time, making love like they should have years ago, he almost didn't go through with it.

They were kissing quite heavily when panic began to set in. He attempted to mask it by thinking of happier things; the dinner he had previously, the anime he had recorded and would be able to watch later, the image of Pochi and Tama cuddling on the couch together... until Yao began to slip his hands slowly up Kiku's shirt.

"Stop!" he yelled, pushing Yao away. His hands trembled and guilt automatically took over. "I-I'm sorry... I wasn't ready for that." Cheeks turned red, Kiku hid his face as best as he could, running away from Yao's deep concern.

"Kiku, what's wrong?" Yao asked. "Are my hands cold? Did I startle you?" He reached out for Kiku, but Kiku jerked away violently, still shaking. "Kiku, are you alright? You're really starting to worry me..."

Suddenly, Kiku got up to his feet. "I can't do this!" he shouted, making a sprint to the bathroom. Yao followed him quickly, utterly confused and very worried.

He found Kiku sitting in the shower with the water off, curled up with his knees to his chest, holding back tears. Yao climbed in and sat next to him, giving the other some space. "Kiku, please tell me what's wrong."

"I..." he started, "I... was just startled. I-I need some time to cool off."

"Kiku," Yao deadpanned, "I can tell when you're lying to me. Please, I beg you, tell the truth."

After a few minutes' pause, Kiku spoke up. "Fine. I... I don't want you to see me. My body."

Yao was incredibly baffled. "Why not?"

"My scars!" he finally blurted. "I have so many... they're hideous... you'd hate them; I do... so much..." His hands began to shake again and small tears fell out of the corners of his eyes. Yao frowned and took the other man in his arms gently, petting his hair.

"I doubt that, love. I really do. Listen to me- I have scars as well, and they're not pretty. I regret them, but I don't hate them. They are a part of me. Your scars are a part of you as well. I won't love you any less if you show me, I promise." He gave Kiku several reassuring kisses on the forehead, hoping that he had gotten his point across.

"A-are you sure?" Kiku asked, putting a hand on his stomach where many of his scars were. He cringed lightly, silently hoping that Yao would say no and they would wait for another time.

"I'm positive," Yao replied, laying another kiss on Kiku's forehead. "Now, let's go to the bedroom," a kiss on the nose, "and I'll prove it to you," a kiss on the lips, "alright?"

With much hesitance, Kiku agreed, and they were soon sitting on the bed, Yao already undressed, his hands holding the bottom of Kiku's shirt, waiting for confirmation.

"G-go ahead," Kiku said, closing his eyes as tightly as he could. Slowly but surely, he felt his shirt being removed, then his pants, and finally his underwear. There was a moment of silence, maybe several, until he heard Yao whisper his name. "Y-y-yes?"

"You're perfect," he murmured. "There is nothing wrong with you. I love each and every one of your scars, just as I love you." Moving his head down, he placed a kiss on each scar, from the ones on his arms, to the ones on his abdomen and hips, all the way down to the ones on his thighs. Kiku let out a few small moans, several more tears falling at the compliments. He couldn't remember the last time he felt better about his body. Yao loved him, despite the scars. He truly, deeply loved him.

"T-thank you, Yao... I love you too..." he said, before he was cut off by a long, sweet kiss, one that he gladly returned as he was pushed onto the mattress by Yao's eager hand.

As Kiku could recall, their first time was absolutely wonderful.

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><p>No notes for this one either, except for maybe a bit of headcanon. Kiku is very scarred; the bullet wound-looking scars are representations of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The ones on his abdomen are from attempts at <em>seppuku<em>, or ritual Japanese suicide. On his arms and thighs, he has little scratches, most likely done by a razor.

I hope you enjoyed another chapter of fluff, haha. Reviews are very nice. :D Goodbye!


	8. Reunion

Guess what? I wrote more fluff. Are you tired of me yet? No? Good! Well, this chapter is based on the word _Reunion_. It mentions sex very briefly, so you should be fine (unless you're a prude... which would be weird, considering you're reading an M-rated fic). Have a nice read! :)

* * *

><p>A whole year. Well, three hundred and eighty-two days, but it wasn't like either of them were counting. Yao and Kiku had been separated for far too long; they both had political affairs to deal with in their own homes. The tsunami in Japan left thousands of Kiku's people homeless, so he needed to tend to them, and Yao had to deal with his steadily rising economy and the upbringing of North Korea's new dictator. They called each other every so often, and even used webcams so they could see each other's faces (though it took quite a long time for Yao to figure out how to work it), but it wasn't the same. Their arms ached for each other, their lips desperately wanted to touch the other's, they hadn't had sex in what seemed like forever.<p>

Finally, Kiku would return to Beijing, after a whole year (or three hundred and eighty-two days, if you look at specifics), and the pair would be reunited. Neither of them could contain their excitement. Kiku shook on the plane ride there while Yao cleaned his house from the rooftop to the basement. They were both nervous, and they both wanted everything to be absolutely perfect. Meal plans were arranged and bags were packed for maximum visiting time; everything seemed to be going smoothly... until the plane landed in China.

Kiku burst into tears as soon as they came to the terminal. What he didn't know, however, was that Yao had done the same, waiting for him at the luggage claim. He saw that Kiku's plane had arrived and lost all control of his emotions, just like the man he was waiting for. It was finally time. They would finally see each other, hold each other, kiss each other, be with each other face-to-face, like they had longed for for so very long...

The time it took for Kiku to unboard felt like forever. He must have looked positively mad, running off of the airplane, muttering apologies to everyone he would pass, frantically searching for his lover. The tears wouldn't stop, no matter how much he willed them to. The same was true for Yao. He looked and looked for what seemed like hours, until he saw a crop of black hair and a pale, tear-stained face heading straight for him.

With no regard to their surroundings, the two crashed into each other, immediately embracing as if they never had before, crashing to the ground together with a thud. They both cried, holding onto each other as tightly as they could. Yao peppered kisses all over Kiku's face in between sobs, and Kiku repeated his lover's name over and over again, the word sweet on his tongue.

"I missed you so much," Yao said, increasing his speed on the kisses, "so, so, so, so, _so_ much. You have no idea, Kiku."

"You're wrong," Kiku managed through his wails, "I know exactly what you felt. I missed you too, so, so, so, so, so..." he was cut off by a kiss, one that was eagerly returned. "... much."

"I love you, Kiku," the other said, and he repeated it until he thought his throat would collapse, "I love you, I love you, I love you."

Kiku echoed the calls even louder, his arms around Yao so tight that both of them could barely breathe, though neither particularly cared. They had each other, and they were so, so, so, so, _so_ overjoyed.

Eventually, Yao hoisted Kiku up into his arms bridal-style, fetched his bags from the luggage claim, and walked out to the car. They didn't let go of each other through the ride home, during the meal they shared, not even during their shower; they simply took one together, exploring the body parts they so missed.

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><p>That night, they made love three times; once in the shower, twice on the bed. They still held on to each other as they fell asleep, as if they were too afraid that the other would be gone again if they were to let go. Even in the morning and throughout the next day, they were reluctant to stray too far away from each other. Only during restroom breaks were they apart.<p>

"Kiku, we should probably stop doing this," Yao eventually said, very casually. "We are at each other's hips. I love you, but-"

"No," Kiku interrupted, tightening his hold onto Yao more. "I've lost you far too many times already; it won't happen again. Not on my life."

Something in Kiku's words made Yao smile. He complied happily, resting his head on the other's shoulder, and they sat in a still silence, together, not letting go of each other even once.

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><p>No notes at all this time around! I hope you didn't get diabetes from all the sweetness! As always, reviews make me smile!<p> 


	9. Jetlag

Hello! I am back, with... guess what... more fluff! I swear, I can't write anything else. I've been in sort of an idea slump, but hopefully that'll pass soon. This chapter is based on the word _Jetlag_. My only warning is that Yao curses! Oh no! Don't worry, it's just "shit." He has a potty mouth. Now, read oooon!

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><p>Yao cursed jetlag to the high heavens. He was exhausted, and so was Kiku- maybe even moreso, if the way he slumped in the car on the ride home was an indicator. They had just returned from a week-long meeting in America, and despite their travelling experiences, the time zone shift wore heavy on their old bodies. Luckily, it was nearing midnight already and they had eaten on the plane, so they could go straight to bed and sleep the night away.<p>

And that's exactly what they did; they both crashed onto the bed haphazardly, Kiku's body halfway on top of Yao's, their travel clothes still on. They nearly slept through breakfast, but Kiku's internal alarm clock wouldn't allow it. His eyes opened at six the next morning, just as usual.

"Yao," he said groggily, nudging the other man on the bed. "Yao!" he repeated, continuing to nudge, until the very heavy sleeper cracked his eyes open.

"Aiya... Kiku, I'm still tired. What time is it?"

"What do you think?" Kiku replied sarcastically. "Six, like always."

Yao let out a long yawn and stretched out his limbs, letting a few cracks resonate through the room. "Shit. I don't want to get out of bed. Can't we just sleep a bit longer?"

Kiku seemed to consider this deeply. After a brief pause, he replied, "absolutely. In fact, I'm so tired, let's just stay in bed all day. Eat in bed, nap all day, cuddle..."

"That sounds wonderful," Yao sighed dreamily, "but are you sure? You don't have anything to do today, do you?"

Again, Kiku paused in thought. "Well, I was going to unpack, and catch up on some anime, and write a few overdue e-mails... but, those can wait." He smiled, letting a soft yawn escape his lips.

Yao smiled back and yawned in return. "Good," he said, slowly sitting up with much effort, "I'll go get breakfast."

After breakfast, the two simply cuddled, stomachs full of food and eyes half closed. They chatted a bit before falling back asleep, simply because they could, and they so enjoyed talking to each other with no one else around to judge them or breathe down their necks.

"This was a great idea, Kiku," Yao said, gently threading his fingers through the other's hair while Kiku sighed happily. "I feel so at peace."

"Indeed," Kiku replied, his own hands rubbing tiny circles into Yao's lower back. "You helped, after all."

This made Yao grin. "I did, didn't I? You know, I'm full to the brim of good ideas."

"Really?" Kiku couldn't help but open his eyes and raise his eyebrows a bit at this. "Tell me all about it, _koibito_."

"Well, I picked breakfast this morning."

"Yes, you did," Kiku agreed, "and the_ lizhi _was very delicious."

"Also," Yao began, "I chose the blankets on our bed. Aren't they comfortable? Finest silk in China, I promise you!"

"Right, right," came a chuckle from Kiku, teasingly pinching Yao's backside.

A short pause followed, until Yao spoke up. "Do you know what my best idea was, though?" Kiku said nothing. "Well, obviously... my best idea was taking you under my wing, and raising you." Kiku's cheeks began to turn pink. "Now you're here, lying next to me, and we're together, as happy as we can be. You are my greatest treasure, Kiku." Smiling, Yao kissed a blushing Kiku gently on the lips.

"Well... do you know what my best idea was, Yao?" He said nothing. "My best idea was telling you that I love you." With a gentle kiss back, the pair fell into a heavy sleep for nearly the rest of the day, wrapped in each other's embrace.

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><p><em>koibito<em> is lover in Japanese- but I used Google Translate, so correct me if I'm wrong and I'll fix it!

_lizhi_ is a type of berry widely eaten in China.

I hope you enjoyed more fluff! Au revoir! :)


	10. Monthly

Sorry for taking so long to update! Well... actually, it hasn't been that long, compared to the months it took me to go from chapter one to chapter two. Heh. Anyway, the ideas just weren't coming, but one came to me a few days ago, so I had to write it! This chapter is based on the word _Monthly_. You get to see a veeeery shy Kiku in this. Enjoy. :)

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><p>Even after a month of seeing each other, Kiku was still not quite used to being with Yao. It still took some courage just to touch him, let alone kiss him or even sleep in the same bed as him. To Yao, it was cute. To Kiku, it was humiliating.<p>

"Y-Y-Yao," he stuttered out one afternoon, "c-c-can I... h-hold your hand?"

_Poor, sweet thing_, Yao thought with a quiet chuckle. "Of course," he replied, offering a hand to Kiku. "You don't have to ask. We have been dating for a month, after all."

Unsure, Kiku took the offered hand, his face a light shade of pink. "S-sorry. I can't help it. Intimacy... is not my strong point." In fact, the last time he came in close proximity to anyone other than Yao, he nearly had a heart attack.

"I know," Yao grinned, giving Kiku a peck on the cheek, which just caused his face to turn even more pink. "Oh, speaking of us dating for a month... our anniversary is this Friday, isn't it?"

"Yes, yes it is," Kiku nodded, squeezing Yao's hand a bit. He had the date in his mind ever since Yao agreed to expand their relationship. It wasn't easy to forget. "So... what should we do?"

Yao shrugged. "I'm not sure... whatever you want to do, love."

Yet again, Kiku's cheeks began to burn. "W-well... you know I don't do well in public. Why don't we just stay here, make a nice meal, just... spend time together, alone?"

A grin came across Yao's face, revealing his brilliant teeth. "Great idea, my sweet little chrysanthemum." Kiku's cheeks were completely red at this point. "Time together alone it is. I must take time to go shopping for your present..."

"W-what?" Kiku exclaimed. "N-no, Yao- you don't need to do that-"

"I do," he replied, cutting his love off with a kiss. "Trust me. And I expect nothing in return."

"Too bad!" Puffing his cheeks out, Kiku let go of Yao's hand and stood straight up. "You are getting something in return!" He headed toward his computer room with a hasty walking pace.

Again, Yao grinned. "Fair enough."

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><p>Friday finally came, and it was time for Yao and Kiku to celebrate. They each took some time to shop for the other, and picked out gifts that they hoped the other would adore. Yao made some of Kiku's favorites for dinner- smoked salmon with extra salt, a light vegetable dish, and imported Japanese green tea. Kiku made chocolate cake, a favorite of Yao's, though he didn't eat a piece as he didn't care for chocolate. "A loving sacrifice," he said.<p>

Soon, they decided to exchange gifts.

"Open mine first," Yao said, handing Kiku a small box, a gold bow atop it. The Japanese man opened it, revealing a small, brilliant emerald colored pin, fashioned into a chrysanthemum.

"Jade... chrysanthemum..." Kiku muttered, his eyes wide. "I-it's beautiful." With fumbling hands, he removed the delicate pin from the box, handing it to Yao so he could pin it to the lapel of his shirt. "Thank you so much, Yao."

"I'm so glad you like it," Yao said gratefully, giving the other a sweet kiss. "I was worried that you didn't care for pins."

"Well, I do now," sighed Kiku, his eyes sparkling with adoration as he looked down at the pin and back up at Yao. "O-okay... open my gift."

Kiku's box to Yao was much bigger. Yao thought nothing of it; he knew little about Kiku's shopping habits thus far... until he saw the gift. Inside was a silk garment- a _kimono_, to be exact- gold and red. Yao's favorite colors. The colors of his country's flag.

"I-I hope it fits," Kiku whispered, "I took my measurements and added a few inches since you are a bit taller than me... a-ah..."

"It's absolutely perfect." Not hesitating a bit, Yao set the box aside and grabbed Kiku's face, kissing him for what seemed like hours. No complaint was heard on Kiku's end. "Help me put it on," he said after pulling away. They stood up, Yao kept a t-shirt and boxers on (to Kiku's request), and Kiku helped tie the _kimono_ around the other's body. Taking a bold move, Kiku undid Yao's ponytail. With his hair down, the Chinese man looked positively stunning. Another bold move on Kiku's part (according to him, at least), he wrapped his arms around his lover's waist and pulled him into an embrace.

"This has been the most wonderful month of my life," Kiku admitted. Yao's smile practically reached to his ears, and he returned the hug, gently snaking his arms around Kiku's neck. "T-thank you, Yao."

"Mine as well, Kiku," he replied, placing several kisses atop the Japanese man's head of jet black hair. "Happy month anniversary."

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><p>Unless you don't know what a <em>kimono<em> is at this point, no notes!

Enjoy, review, etc! _Au revoir_!


	11. Sick

Back again! This one's called _Sick_. Lots of fluff, yet again. Also, a poor, sick Kiku. Enjoy!

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><p>The flu was a terrible, terrible thing. Damn whichever <em>kami<em> came up with it, Kiku would say. Every time he got it, which was almost annually, he felt completely miserable. He was bed-ridden, a bucket constantly at his side, almost always full of vomit (unless someone was around to clean it out). Wads of used tissues would lay carelessly on the ground, covered in a sickly green mucus. It was comparable to the plague sometimes; and Kiku knew what the plague felt like. Perhaps it was an exaggeration, but his head was too foggy and in too much pain to care.

Thankfully, this time around, Kiku had Yao around to take care of him when flu season hit like a vicious flight of locusts. The Chinese man constantly brought soup, hot tea, and strange smelling herbal remedies (not that Kiku could smell them in the first place) to his bedside. This brought some comfort through his sick haze. At least he had someone to clean the puke out of his bucket every hour or so. Plus, Yao was very old and practically immune to almost every sickness, so being around Kiku was no issue at all. He wasn't the least bit concerned about catching the flu.

Woken up from a moment of rest by his own loud coughing, Kiku reached for his lover, who had made himself comfortable in an armchair next to the bed. Yao took his hand and squeezed it. "Water, my love?" Kiku could only nod, as he continued to cough. Yao brought a glass of water to the other's lips and helped him drink. "You poor thing."

"I hate flu season," Kiku said grimly. "I wish I could avoid it, like you."

"Maybe when you're as old as I am," Yao replied with a laugh, squeezing Kiku's hand again. Kiku didn't find this funny; having the flu almost three thousand times was the last thing he would ever laugh at. Hiding a smirk, Yao shot him a weak apologetic look. "Don't worry, Kiku. You'll be better soon."

Kiku coughed yet again. "Not soon enough."

"Don't be bitter." Yao squeezed Kiku's hand another time. "These things pass. It's already been twenty four hours; you should be feeling better by tomorrow, and completely new in two days' time."

"I hope so," Kiku sniffled. Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine, and he began to shiver violently. The sensation brought tears to his eyes, and with a whimper, he reached out for Yao once again. Gladly complying, Yao climbed onto the bed and held his dear Kiku as close to him as he could, running his hands up and down his entire body comfortingly.

"Shh, Kiku, it's just a fever," he murmured into the smaller one's ear. "Don't fret. I'm here." He couldn't help but feel bad for the shaking man; a few tears of his own rolled down his cheek. How he hated to see Kiku so ill and helpless...

"Yao," Kiku croaked out, tightening his hold around the other's midsection. "I love you, Yao. Thank you for taking care of me." His words were slightly muffled, as his face was consumed by the fabric of Yao's shirt. Smiling a bit, Yao leaned down and kissed Kiku's burning forehead.

"I love you too, Kiku. Try to get some rest."

His eyes fell closed for the rest of the night, still holding onto Yao. Eventually, his trembling stopped and his fever went down. The next day, to Yao's utter surprise, he felt as well as he did before the flu hit.

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><p><em>kami<em> is the Japanese word for god. Apparently, there are millions of_ kami_ in nature and other places in the Shinto religion.

Poor little sick Kiku, my baby. Isn't he sweet? ... No, no he isn't. I wouldn't wish that upon anyone.

Anyway... _adios_! Please review! :)


	12. Technology

Howdy ho! This chapter is a lot different from previous ones. Surprisingly, no fluff whatsoever. No angst or smut, either. This is my horrible attempt at comedy, and it's called _Technology_. Poor Yao asks Kiku how to use a laptop. Enjoy!

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><p>"Kiku, what the hell is this?"<p>

A shiny new laptop sat atop Kiku's work desk; he was working on an email to Alfred when Yao walked in the room, tea cup in hand. The technology before him was perplexing.

"A computer."

"Why is it so tiny?"

Kiku rubbed his temple a bit. Surely Yao had seen one before; why did he need to ask that? "It's a laptop. They are meant for portability; in other words, carrying around with ease."

"Ohhh..." Yao said, staring at the so-called "laptop." He set his cup of tea on the desk and leaned in closer. "Can I try?"

_Don't you have one?_ Kiku thought. Oh, well. No harm could be done. "Sure," he said, moving from the chair and letting Yao sit down.

"What do I do?"

It was unlike Kiku to lose his patience; however, he was sure that he was going to eventually, trying to teach Yao how to use a computer that was made before high-speed internet was invented.

"Type something into the address bar."

"Like what?"

"I don't know... Facebook."

Yao looked confused. "What's that?"

Kiku rubbed his temple again. "Right, banned... try Google."

"Huh?"

"Banned again," Kiku said with a sigh. "Youtube?"

"You_WHAT_?"

"Dammit!" Kiku nearly shouted, close to bursting, despite his cool demeanor. "Just... search something."

"Okay," Yao pondered, wondering what to search. After what seemed like ten minutes to Kiku, he began typing._ Good_, Kiku thought, _maybe this will be easier than I thought it would be._

"What's that, Kiku?" Yao asked, pointing to a flashy advertisement on the top of the screen. "It says: 'Click Here to Win a Free iPad 2.' What's an iPad 2? Should I click it?"

Kiku's face turned completely white. "N-no, Yao, don't-"

It was too late. Yao clicked on the ad (_how in the hell did he figure out how to work the mouse on that thing_), and at least a dozen pop-ups flashed across the monitor. More and more came up, until the screen went blue, and two large words flashed in white: VIRUS DETECTED.

"You... you gave my brand new computer a virus." Kiku's eyes were practically popping out of his head. "You were on it for _two minutes_, and you gave it a _virus_."

"Oh." Yao stared at the screen, tilting his head. "Kiku?"

"_Yes_, Yao?"

"What's a virus?"

Kiku turned around and began to bang his head against the wall. What was worse, Yao had bumped the table with his elbow and knocked his tea over, spilling it on the keyboard. The spill caused an electrical shortage, and small puffs of smoke escaped from the circuits.

With a few more loud bangs, there was a dent left in the wall.

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><p>Yao... just stop. Leave that to Kiku, please.<p>

Also, true story. Facebook, Google, and Youtube are all banned in The People's Republic of China. I'm not sure how Kiku accessed his email... maybe he's just a good hacker?

Also also, I've finally broken 10,000 words! Go me!

Anyway... yeah, that's all I got. See ya later!


	13. Thunder

Hiiii guys! This chapter is kinda sad, and for that I apologize. :'( But it's also a little fluffy, like most of my drabbles! Still, it has very brief mentions of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and if thunderstorms are a trigger for you, do try to steer away! Otherwise, read on! This one's called _Thunder_. Enjoy!

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><p>Thunderstorms were one of Kiku's greatest fears. It started as a child; he'd shake and small crocodile tears would form in his eyes, and somehow his feet would often carry him to Yao's bedroom. After the war, however, the fear intensified greatly. The sound of thunder was far too familiar to him, and the brightness of the lightning brought back terrible memories. Bombs. The booms were nearly identical to Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Kiku's ears and eyes. The storms plagued him during every rainy season; he'd stay up all night, curled up in bed stuck in the fetal position, and just cry.<p>

However, this time he had someone there. It had been since he was much younger that Yao was there to hold him, console him. Now that they were in a relationship, Kiku had warm, open arms for comfort. One night, a storm roared outside of their bedroom window more fierce than normal.

Yao, in his old age, had nearly forgotten how terrified Kiku was of storms. Once it had started raining, the Japanese man's face went pale, but Yao ignored it. They went on with their evening as they normally would... until bedtime. A crack of thunder was heard, and Kiku sprinted to the bedroom wardrobe as fast as he could.

"Kiku?" Yao called, dashing over to the closed bureau. "What are you doing in there? It's time for bed!"

"Hiding," he replied as calmly as he could. However, his voice shook, and Yao could definitely tell.

"Don't lie, Kiku... please come out."

"No!" he shouted back. "G-go away!" After a few beats of silence, another boom was heard outside, followed by a whimper coming from the wardrobe.

Yao blinked, looking out the window at the rain pounding against the house. Yet another instance of thunder occured, louder than the previous two, directly after a streak of lightning that was too close for Yao's liking, and Yao swore that he heard Kiku screech.

"You're afraid of thunder," he whispered. "Kiku, love, please come-"

Without warning, the doors to the wardrobe swung open and Kiku threw himself into Yao's arms, knocking them both down to the ground. He was crying, that was for sure. Within seconds, Yao's shirt was stained with tears. The poor thing was shaking all over, muttering something close to "make it stop, _kami_, make it stop..."

Carefully heaving both of them up, Yao carried Kiku onto the bed and laid him down. "It's alright, love, it's alright... I'm right here..." In an attempt to block out the noise outside, he talked as loud as he could. Then, an idea hit... he began to sing Kiku's favorite lullaby, one that he always used to sing when the man was just a child. He sang it loud and proud, and somehow, it seemed to calm Kiku down a bit. His shaking slowed slightly, and his breathing regulated a little.

Yao continued to sing as thunder rolled like drums and lightning struck like whip cracks. Every once and a while, he'd pause very briefly to lean back and give Kiku a small, sweet kiss. These seemed to calm the other down even more, because eventually, he even let a miniscule smile grace his features.

Blinking tired, puffy eyes, Kiku spoke up for the first time since he exited the wardrobe, saying "thank you" in a hushed tone. Suddenly, the thunder stopped. Only small pitter-patters of raindrops remained. The aftermath was Kiku's favorite part; nothing but sprinkles. It was slightly calming to him.

"You're welcome," Yao replied, giving him another kiss. Shortly after, he watched Kiku's eyes close and his body go completely limp. Clearly, he was exhausted after that ordeal, and Yao could not blame him. Watching him sleep for a few minutes, the Chinese man eventually fell into sleep as well, but not before giving his love one final kiss and whispering "I love you" against his chapped lips.

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><p>Yeah, that's about it. No notes, really. You all know about HiroshimaNagasaki and _kami_, I assume. If not... well, look them up.

Bye!


	14. Archery

Baaaaaaaaaack, with some smut! In this chapter, I get to use some of my beautiful new headcanon. You'll see what it is when you read. I'll also reveal the chapter's name at the end (unless you read it in the little purple box, in which case... there you go). Enjooooy!

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><p>It was training day at the Wang residence. Yao was practicing his <em>tai chi<em>; channeling his inner power, as graceful as a cat, stuck in hunting stance. Kiku, however, was doing something completely different. He had not properly touched a sword in years, other than to clean it, and his _karate_ and _ninjutsu_ skills were to be desired. His old bones and muscles made it nearly impossible for him to move like he used to; he wasn't sure how Yao kept going, even though the Chinese man was far older than the Japanese.

Kiku practiced archery. Fortunately for him, he was excellent at it.

A sharp eye was always present in him. It was helpful to seek out potential attackers during the heat of a fight. Now, he never fought, but he still used this sharp eye to shoot bow-and-arrow in Yao's backyard, landing a bulls-eye almost every single time.

His bow was crafted from the finest materials, the arrows made of simple wood and steel. Just hard enough to penetrate the target. Delicate bird feathers dangled at the end; these arrows were hand-made by Kiku himself. He had store-bought ones, but he usually preferred using the original ones used by samurai in an earlier time.

He took his stance. With one eye, he focused hard on the target. Slowly pulling back, almost torturously so, he readied.

He aimed.

Then, he fired.

The arrow's head landed just short of bullseye- to the untrained eye, at least. It was mere centimeters away from the middle of the target to Kiku. "Damn," he muttered to himself, grabbing another arrow. This one was fired right away.

Bulls-eye.

Kiku smiled to himself triumphantly. "There we go." Another arrow was grabbed, and another bulls-eye was hit, just left of the one previous.

This continued in relative silence for quite a long time, as Yao meditated, did some _kung fu_, and even took a tea break. Kiku didn't stop shooting, not once. He had recycled his arrows at least six times by now, and there was a hole in the center of the hand-painted target sitting yards away. Yao decided to go and watch; something he normally didn't do, as he was usually busy with his own exercises.

"Do you mind if I watch, Kiku?" Yao asked, approaching carefully, as the other had his arm back, ready for another shot.

Kiku nodded. "Sure. You've never seen me shoot before, after all." Waiting for Yao to back off, he fired. Yet another bulls-eye. Yao ooh'd and aww'd.

"Hm?" Kiku hummed, turning his head slightly to see his lover's eyes wide open, staring at the arrow sticking out of the red circle in the target. "Is that... impressive?"

"Very!" he exclaimed. "Do more!"

Kiku nodded, clearly amused at the other's excitement. "Very well," he said, walking to the target and pulling a few used arrows out. "Shall I try with my eyes closed?"

Yao nodded back, excited. Would he make it? He was dying to find out.

Kiku readied his bow, arrow attached. He closed his eyes. Yet again, he fired.

Yet again, a bulls-eye.

"Aiiiiiyaaaaa!"

Kiku couldn't help but smirk a bit. "Years of practice," he said, grabbing another wooden arrow.

Yao's mind began to race. _So skilled, so poised, so majestic... the way he stands, the way his almost non-existent muscles flex when he pulls the bow back, the way he smiles minutely when he hits the target spot-on..._ His face began to heat up, and arousal tingled inside of him. Never had he looked so... manly and perfect.

Just when Yao thought it couldn't get any better, Kiku wiped a bit of sweat from his brow. "Hot," the Japanese man mumbled, and then... he took his shirt off.

_He took his shirt off._

Perfect pectorals, lightly toned abdomen area, scars... no matter what, Kiku was stunning. Yao felt an erection already. He instantly fantasized about he and Kiku having sex, right in the courtyard, Kiku's bow pressing him down into the grass, completely submissive...

"Yao? Are you alright? You seem to have zoned out..."

Suddenly, broken out of his trance, Yao stood up and sped towards Kiku. Within seconds, he had the other man backed up against the target, roughly yanking out the offending arrows, and they were kissing. They were kissing hard.

Kiku was surprised, to say the very least, but he didn't complain one bit. Bow still in hand, he kissed back, taking his free arm to wrap around Yao's neck while Yao... pulled down his pants?

"Yao," said Kiku, fiercely pulling away. "What are-"

"Kiku," he cut off, "let's... let's do it, right here. I love seeing you all athletic, sweaty, beautiful, like an archery demi-god-"

"A-are you crazy?" Kiku exclaimed, staring at Yao as if it was his most far-fetched idea ever. "W-we're outside!"

"That didn't stop us before," Yao replied, smiling. Kiku remembered the time before, in the woods... they were outside then, it was true... and he felt himself getting exponentially aroused already. He was half hard just from kissing the other man. He grumbled, then ripped Yao's _changshan_ clean off.

"Fine."

Soon enough, they were both on the ground, Kiku on top. It didn't take long for either of them to be naked; they were both far too eager, and even though Kiku only had one hand available, still holding the bow, he showed extreme skill and improvement.

"Kiku," Yao breathed, his mouth against Kiku's neck. "Hold me down. With that," he said, pointing weakly to the bow.

Kiku's eyes went wide. "A-are you sure? Won't that be... restraining?"

"Yes!" Yao cried. "That's what I want, damn it! Now do it!"

Hesitantly, Kiku complied. He placed the bow onto Yao's chest, putting both hands on either side. To his surprise, Yao didn't struggle a bit. This was going better than expected...

So, with his hands still on the bow, Kiku leaned back down and kissed Yao again, with near brute force. His tongue explored and roved around, until he was satisfied enough to begin the main act.

He didn't bother with lubricant, or even spit. His hands were too busy holding Yao down. "Ready," he grunted, more as a statement than a question. Yao nodded anyway, trembling in excitement, and Kiku entered slowly as to not hurt him.

Yao shrieked. It did hurt at first, but he started to become used to it. Kiku began thrusting, carefully and rhythmically, again as to not hurt Yao. After a bit, Yao cried for more, and Kiku responded accordingly. He went faster and faster, harder and harder, aiming for the other's weakest spot. Once he hit it, Yao shrieked once again and asked for more, more, more.

This went on for what seemed like a long, long time. Eventually, Yao came, ejecting all over Kiku's stomach, and Kiku followed, letting his stain the ground. He finally lifted the bow off of Yao, and a large red mark appeared. Too tired to care, Kiku collapsed onto the ground next to his love.

Yao gave an exhausted smile. "Fun," he said simply.

"Yes," Kiku replied.

The bow laid carelessly to the side now, string broken and bent slightly.

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><p>Yeah. Kiku's a badass. This is called <em>Archery<em>, because... well, Kiku's good at archery, in my headcanon.

I don't think there are any notes for this one. Just know what _tai chi, kung fu, karate, ninjutsu, _and_ changshan_ are!

Thanks for stopping by!


	15. Mother

Happy Mother's Day! I've been inspired to write a special drabble for this occasion; so, today I bring you _Mother_, where Kiku thanks Yao for essentially raising him. I hope you enjoy it!

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><p>This Sunday in May was different from any other. Mother's Day was a tradition that Kiku never really understood, considering he didn't know his biological mother (or if he even had one)... until he started seeing Yao. Only then had he begun to realize how important the other man was to him. From the bright years of his childhood to adolescence and near adulthood, Kiku was with Yao. Yao had taken him in as his own, feeding him, dressing him, tending to his every need. It took almost three thousand years for Kiku to realize that Yao wasn't only like a mentor or a brother; he was almost like a mother.<p>

Sure, Yao was undeniably male. However, the long-haired man was the closest maternal figure Kiku had ever known. He felt like he had fallen behind in showing his appreciation in previous years, but today would be different. While Yao was still sleeping, Kiku went to the nearest flower shop and bought a bundle of beautiful red carnations, wrapped in a golden bow. He hurried home and prepared a breakfast for two, carrying it into the pair's shared bedroom, and set it on the table closest to Yao so he could smell it perfectly. Perching on his side, Kiku waited for the other's eyes to crack open.

Eventually, the elder's nose twitched, and he woke. "Mmmmnnn... wha'? Somethin' smells really good... Kiku?"

With a smile, Kiku pulled the bouquet out from behind his back. "Good morning," he said. "Happy Mother's Day."

"Huh?" Yao blinked, confused, his eyes still blurry from sleep. The flowers were still just a blur to him. "Mother's Day...?"

"Yes, Yao," Kiku nodded. "I'll give you a bit more time to wake up."

Soon enough, Yao saw the flowers, and his whole face lit up. "Oh, Kiku! They're beautiful!" He took them and smelled them, grinning. "Ahhh... but I smell something else..."

"Look to your right," Kiku said, pointing over to the nightstand. Yao looked over and saw all of his breakfast favorites sitting on a tray. His face lit up even more at the sight.

"Kiku... this is wonderful... but why?"

Kiku took the flowers from Yao and set them in an already prepared vase on the opposite nightstand. "Like I said: Mother's Day. I was thinking..." A pause. "Well, you're the closest thing to a mother I've ever had. It sounds a bit odd, but it's true. I just wanted to show you how much I appreciate the way you took me in, and all..." His face went slightly pink, but Yao couldn't have been smiling wider. "You know, if I could give you all of the red carnations in the world, I would."

Yao had heard enough. He gathered the smaller man in his arms and kissed his face fervently. "I love you, my perfect little... whatever you are. Brother, son, boyfriend... I don't care. You're amazing."

Kiku went red at this. "I-I love you too, Yao... now let's eat before breakfast gets cold."

So, they shared a meal on this special Sunday in May.

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><p>This one was really short! No notes as well!<p>

I hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day; go hug your mom or the closest mother figure you have! Make sure they know you love them. :)


	16. Betrayal

This chapter, guys. It's pretty sad. :( Fortunately, not as sad as chapter three, _Decline_. Not nearly as much. But Kiku does something you wouldn't ever dream of him doing, so beware... anyway, this is called _Betrayal_. Read on!

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><p>It was Yao's week to visit Kiku, for the first time in quite a while; both nations had been very busy with political affairs, and it had been too long since they'd seen each other. Yao smiled on the whole plane ride there. He was excited to see his love; the beautiful, striking features of the Japanese man on his small, adorable body. His jet black hair, deep brown eyes, thick eyebrows (but not nearly as so as Arthur's), perfectly white teeth, thin lips, slightly pointed nose, and ivory skin, among other things. All of his clothes were almost too big on him, so they hung baggy. Yao found this to be too cute. How he looked forward to seeing the other.<p>

And how he was mistaken.

Not bothering to knock (a bad habit of Yao's), he entered Kiku's home, looking for the other. "Kikuuuu... oh Kiiiiikuuuuu...? Where are you?" Roaming around the small house, it didn't take him long to find the other in his own bedroom.

With another man.

And... they were both unclothed, the stranger on top of Kiku.

Yao's eyes fixed on Kiku, completely wide. Kiku went much more pale than usual.

"Yao-"

But he would hear none of it. All of a sudden, his heart shattered in his chest cavity, piece by piece. Unfortunately, no one was there to clean it up. Kiku was his treasure, his most trusted person, his lover. Yet, here he was, engaged with another man in such an evil way.

The blood in Yao's ears rushed, and Kiku's words were merely murmurs. "Yao, please, I'm sorry, this is... I am such a sinner, I know, I should be punished..."

Without thinking, Yao ran out. Only then did tears begin to fall. He ran all the way back to the airport, suitcase in hand, and took the next flight back to Beijing.

The strange man attempted to resume physical contact with Kiku, but he was sent away as soon as Yao left. Kiku's grief was too much to bear.

Neither Yao nor Kiku slept that night.

They didn't speak to each other for months after the ordeal.

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><p>I'm sorry. I'm terrible. Should I write a companion to this, in which Yao forgives and forgets? In my opinion, cheating is an unforgivable offense... but Yao has loved Kiku for a long, long, <em>long<em> time and wanted him for just the same amount of time. The same with Kiku. Something tells me that he'd do anything to get him back, and Yao would agree, albeit reluctantly...

Anyway, despite the angst, I hope you enjoyed!


	17. Forgiveness

Hi, guys! This is a continuation of the last chapter, because I simply had to. It's called _Forgiveness_. I hope you guys forgive _me_ for making Kiku cheat on Yao. :'( Read on!

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><p>Six months had passed. Yes, Yao and Kiku had seen each other during that time; they had to, as they both attended meetings for the benefit of their countries. They spoke, but not to each other directly. It took Yao a bit to return to his boisterous self, but Kiku seemed to stay almost the same- quiet and reserved. Only now, a look of utter guilt passed over his face whenever he took a quick glance at his former lover, instead of a happy one. Although it was rare, Kiku used to smile at Yao's face. His cheeks would flush and the hairs on the back of his neck would stand a bit. The hypothetical butterflies in his stomach would flutter around whenever Yao would smile back.<p>

Now, the acid churned when either Yao wouldn't bother to exchange the glance, or it was completely blank. He only saw that smile when the Chinese man was talking to others; usually he held a blank expression, a bored one, or often a grimace (usually while speaking to Arthur, or Ivan, or Francis... really, any of his former allies). Showing his teeth was usually reserved for close friends and family, like Yong Soo or Wan. Never Kiku. Not any more.

Would Yao dare to ever take him back? Kiku thought not. Yet, he wanted desperately, so very desperately to try. The only way to find out was to ask. Should he?

Fate answered that question for itself. After one meeting, Kiku mustered up every single ounce of courage remaining in his body to stop Yao in the hall. His name barely came out, but apparently Yao heard it, as he turned around and looked straight at Kiku.

"What?"

Kiku's heart stopped. That was the first direct word Yao had said to him in months. It was harsh, but in his voice, it was also beautiful. Kiku felt his throat clench; he willed it to open, though, as he just had to do this.

"May I please speak with you?" he asked, as calm as he could be. He was utterly surprised that he didn't stutter in the least. Still, he felt sweat trickle down his neck and back.

"Fine," Yao replied hastily, crossing his arms and walking slowly toward Kiku. "Try to make it quick."

Kiku merely nodded, and led Yao into an empty conference room. There was a long, long silence, before Kiku finally spoke up.

"I am damned to a horrible afterlife, Yao," he croaked, head down. "My sin was great... you did not deserve that... I felt so lonely, betrayed, neglected..." Another pause. Small tears began to run down Kiku's cheeks. "W-what a bastard you must think of me! Go on and punish me as you see fit; smack me, push me around, make me do whatever you please, spit on me... I don't even care at this point!" It seemed as if this took much energy for Kiku to say, as he collapsed to his knees shortly thereafter. Yao stood, stunned. He was at a loss for words. Should he punish Kiku, or simply walk out, leaving him to cry? Both options ran through his head.

"You never told me that you felt neglected." He took neither.

Kiku lifted his head, crying a bit harder. "I... I didn't know how to. Y-y-you were always so busy, and I-I didn't want to bother you by calling you... s-s-so I just acted on impulse! I completely forgot that you were finally visiting, but that's no excuse at all!" He clenched his fist until his knuckles turned completely white. "What are you doing? W-why don't you torture me, like I deserve?"

Yao shook his head. "You don't deserve that. I don't want to torture you."

"Why not?"

"Because I feel like part of this is my fault."

Did he hear that right? Kiku leaned in closer. "W...what?"

"You heard me, Kiku," Yao said. "I am still deeply hurt by your actions, but... you are right. I was absorbed in other things. I should have made time to at least call you and tell you how I was doing." He kneeled down to Kiku's level, even sitting. Kiku followed suit. "Yet... I must confess something. I am afraid that I would be lying if I said I never thought about it."

"Thought about what?"

"... cheating," Yao uttered, as if it hurt him to say. "I had urges that you weren't available for, Kiku, and I-"

"That's not as bad as acting upon it!" Kiku hollered, reaching his hands out to grab Yao, but pulling back just in time.

"It might as well be!" Yao shouted back. "I could have done it without you finding out, and not think twice of it... does that not put us in the same boat?"

Yet again, Kiku lowered his head. "I don't know."

"Well..." Yao stopped. "I forgive you."

For the second time, Kiku couldn't believe his ears. "Y-you do?" He looked straight up at Yao, blinking away tears furiously. "B-but... why?"

Yao gave a little smile, and Kiku's butterflies came back. How he missed that smile... "I want you back. I have wanted you back, more than anything in the world. I can't say that I waited for you to apologize... but I'm very glad that you did."

"I never said-"

"You don't have to," Yao interrupted, putting his hands on Kiku's shoulder. "I knew you meant it."

Kiku's lips began to tremble, and before he could actually let out an official "I'm sorry," Yao pulled him into a rib-crushing embrace, but Kiku didn't care. It felt like centuries since these arms had been around him, and he wanted to enjoy it as much as he could.

"I love you, Kiku." They both began to cry; Kiku's wails were more audible. He didn't think that in a million years he deserved to be forgiven, or to feel Yao's embrace, or to hear him say "I love you" directed at him... but it was indeniably happening. Through his tears, a smile shone through.

"I love you too, Yao."

* * *

><p>Yaaaaaay. Happy ending. I felt like I had to make Yao sort of at offense too (but not really) to even things out. Did it work? Who knows.<p>

I hope you liked this chapter better than the last! Have a nice day, and try to drop a review if you'd like!


	18. Rabbit

Heeeeeeeey. This chapter is really fluffy... literally. It's called _Rabbit_, so I'm sure you can guess why. Heh. Read on!

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><p>It was no secret to anyone that Kiku had a love for small, adorable animals. He treasured his dog and cat, Pochi and Tama, almost as much as he treasured Yao, his boyfriend (though he'd never say that out loud). Any time he saw something fluffy, his face would light up in a toothy smile and sparkly eyes, and he'd do absolutely anything to hold the creature. Yao could swear that his voice went a bit higher than usual, too. It was often very cute, but sometimes, it got a little out of hand.<p>

One instance occured when Yao found himself in a pet store in downtown Tokyo with Kiku. Kiku had spotted the store from a mile away, it seemed, and they went straight toward it. He cooed at every single animal he saw, until Yao thought that Kiku might burst into tears... in front of a cage full of rabbits.

"YAO! C-COME HEEEERE..." Kiku wailed, his face pressed against the cage. As Yao walked over, he spotted a small rabbit, white with various black spots all over. Yes, it was cute, but how could Kiku be so moved by it?

"Look at hiiiiim! He's staring right at me, isn't he? _K-kawaii_..." the Japanese man squealed. Yao peered in at the offending bunny; true, its large brown eyes seemed to be staring. Yao just thought that the animal was bored, but Kiku would not be swayed in that direction.

"Can we get him, Yao? Please?"

"Kiku," Yao berated him, "you have a dog and cat at home. How will they take a new addition? Plus, remember what happened to the guinea pigs..."

Oh, Kiku remembered well. He deflated a bit, recalling how his two precious guinea pigs, Gohan and Goten, somehow disappeared one day. They looked all over the house, the neighborhood, even the city, and the rodents were still never found.

"B-but, Yao... look how cute he-"

"No, Kiku," Yao interrupted. As if he'd heard, the rabbit squinted a bit and flattened its ears. This sent Kiku into hysterics.

"B-b-but Yao! H-he looks so sad and lonely and in need of a proper home! I'll take care of him, _very_ good care of him, I swear! He'll have a nice big cage and plenty of food and I'll take him on walks all the time and..." taking a long breath, he fixed his face into a pout. Damn, it was hard for Yao to resist that... and the rabbit was awfully cute, especially with its ears like that... it sort of reminded him of Kiku, somehow...

Shit.

"Fine, we'll get the damn rabbit."

Kiku cheered and grabbed Yao, kissing him despite the public nature of their location. They purchased the rabbit, a cage, and various other necessities before leaving the store.

"So, what'd you name the thing?" Yao asked as he drove the car home. Kiku had the thing on his lap, and he was stroking its fur contentedly. Both had their eyes closed, but neither was sleeping. They were just feeling some sort of bliss, which Yao could admire.

"_It_ is a he. And _his_ name is Yoshi."

"What's with you and video game characters?"

Kiku huffed at this. "Gohan and Goten are _manga and anime characters_, Yao!"

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><p>Hahahaha, Kiku. You're so silly.<p>

Anyway. Gohan and Goten are characters from Dragon Ball Z, in case you didn't know. They're Goku's sons. I just started watching DBZ, and I love it... I realize I'm late, but oh well.

I'm sure you all know what _kawaii_ means.

Yoshi is a character from the Mario franchise. He's that cute green dinosaur thing.

Okay, bye! Hope you enjoyed!


	19. Praise

Oh, hi! It has been a while... oops. Well, I'm back! I updated _Maritime Melody_ today as well, so I figured that I'd get back to _Peonies and Chrysanthemums_ as well! This one is titled _Praise_. Happy reading!

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><p>He had been doing so well up to this point. Being with Yao undoubtedly made him stronger than ever before, but sometimes, Kiku had his moments of utter loss of self-worth and all that he wanted was to disappear from the wretched earth. The past that damned his present and future hung around his shoulders constantly, reminding him of the devil that was once inhabiting his body. A man who would watch death with the blink of an eye. A man greedy for power. A man that abandoned the people that he loved most for his own benefit. That man was gone to everyone else now, but to Kiku, it seemed as if he lurked in another place; somewhere far off, but not too much.<p>

When he showed up, or any lingering thought crossed his mind, the Japanese man lost all self-control. He'd scream, cry, tear things to shreds, attempt to hurt himself in any way possible, if only to numb the extreme emotional distress. Hours would pass before the tears would stop, and he'd eventually fall asleep, curled up as if he had everything to hide, alone.

He had been doing so well up to this point.

"Kiku?" Yao called softly to his love, entering the house with groceries in tow. "Kiku? I would appreciate some help..."

No call was returned. After several more of them, Yao set out to look. The other man was not in the bathroom, showering or bathing. He was not in the office, working on some sort of business or catching up on anime. He was not in the sitting room, reading a book or playing with the animals. Stopping in the kitchen, Yao set the groceries down and strode toward the bedroom.

There he found Kiku, perched at the window like a bird with broken wings. His whole body shook and sobs were audible through his face pressed tightly against his knees. The sheets on the bed were disheveled, clothes hung out of the closet in a mess, an urn (thankfully not terribly valuable) lay broken on the floor, the curtains were torn. It appeared as an internal battle scene, leaving Kiku to his own self-destruction in the large empty house in the outskirts of Beijing.

Yao said nothing. He only advanced forward, approaching the window with grace.

Kiku heard him, but he did not move. The other was still a few feet away. For several moments, Yao just watched. It hurt- killed, even, but he had to wait a bit to make his next move, as to not startle his love.

As the sobs got louder, enough became enough. Yao moved forward and rested a gentle hand on Kiku's shoulder. Before he knew it, arms flew around his neck and a body crashed into his own. Somehow, this was comforting. Hoisting the younger man into his arms, they ambled over to the bed, lying down, not minding the mess for now.

"Kiku," Yao whispered after a few minutes of just listening to cries and silence. He repeated the name a few more times, vying for a bit of the other's attention. A glance was exchanged, and the Chinese man began.

"Kiku, I love you. I love you so much. You are my world. Without you, I have nothing. With you, everything is open to me. Your existence is my existence. Your beauty illuminates a path of greatness for me. Your smile is not to be compared with the finest pearls of the sea. Your skin is of the most treasured silk in the universe. Your hair reminds one of raven feathers. Your eyes capture every soul and grace them with wonder. Your body was sculpted by the first fine artists of our time and before. You move like the swan. You speak like the poet. You laugh as an enchanter. You sing as a fine-tuned instrument. The flower that you are named after is nothing; in fact, it should have been the opposite. The flower should have been named after you."

Only after he had stopped talking did Yao realize that Kiku was staring. He had been the whole time, by his estimate, as sobs turned to nothing and tears slowed to a stop. These things alone made Yao smile. With a kiss to the forehead and a few reassuring circles rubbed into his back, Kiku also managed something close to a smile in his exhausted state.

"Rest," Yao commanded softly. And he did so. Kiku closed his eyes, tucked safely in Yao's embrace, and did not shed another tear.

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><p>Wow... corny... but, uh, yeah. There you have it. I'll be updating more frequently starting now, as long as I keep getting ideas! Thanks for stopping by!<p> 


	20. Mulan

Hello! This chapter is... really short, but I hope you enjoy it! It's called Mulan. Meaning is probably self-explanatory. Enjoy!

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><p>Yao was none too fond of Western entertainment. He much prefered to watch movies from China (and occasionally some imported from Hong Kong, though it was not like he'd tell his bosses that), usually on VHS tapes, as he saw no point in purchasing a DVD player. However, through some heavy circumstances, the elder nation had been roped into staying the night at Alfred's house for movies, along with several other nations.<p>

The first one was called _Mulan_.

Hua Mulan. So many memories, pictures in his mind, sounds in his ears... Hua Mulan was a wonderful warrior of the Wei Dynasty. Yao had met her himself. Mysteries surrounding her life still floated, but Yao knew enough. All that he did not know was how she died.

Through the movie, despite its historical inaccuracies, Yao clutched onto Kiku's hand, crying in random intervals.

"They may have gotten her surname incorrect, but... s-she was certainly brave," the Chinese man said through tears. Kiku patted his shoulder in reasssurance,

"Yes, Yao. She seemed like a lovely girl."

"SHE _WAS_ LOVELY, KIKU!" Yao exclaimed, throwing his head back. "FIGHTING FOR HER FATHER'S HONOR AGAINST MEN TWICE HER SIZE... AND SO BEAUTIFUL..." More sobs escaped. All that Kiku could do was console the other lightly.

As the movie went on, the pair ignored comments from the others ("Chien Po sorta reminds me of you, Ivan!" "Of course you'd do her, Francis, you'd do _anyone_..." "How did she cut her hair so cleanly with just a sword?"), just watching. Battle scenes and romance scenes alike, Yao still cried, whispering little historical tidbits over to Kiku, comparing movie to actual history and vice versa.

"The Emperor was never that skinny," was his final remark as the movie drew to a close. More films were viewed, such as Hercules, Anastasia, and Beauty and the Beast (leaving room for diversity, of course), before everyone went to bed.

Huddled together were Yao and Kiku, not quite tired enough to turn in.

"Kiku," Yao whispered.

"Hm?"

"You remind me a bit of Hua Mulan."

"I am no female warrior, Yao," Kiku responded sheepishly.

Yao nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, true... but you have her soft nature, tenacity, and beauty, whether you realize it or not."

A soft chuckle fell from Kiku's lips. "If you say so."

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><p>If you don't know who Hua Mulan was, look it up.<p>

In my headcanon, Yao did know her and admired her quite a bit. He was very saddened by her death, and no one knows how it happened, not even him.

Catch ya later!


	21. Bath

Hello, readers! It's been a while since my last update... oops. Sorry about that. I can't blame it on anything but lack of motivation/ideas, unfortunately. So, here's something to compensate for your agonizing wait (maybe)! It's called _Bath_. Has a liiittle bit of smut at the end. Enjoy!

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><p>They didn't bathe together when one visited the other; Kiku preferred it that way. As much as he cared for Yao and enjoyed their more intimate activities, that time in the water he had cherished for himself for the last two thousand years in solitude should remain to himself. Collecting his thoughts was important, and being among steam and the lovely scent of his soap was perfect for such. So, as per the Japanese man's request, the couple washed separately. For years of their romantic relationship, this was a constant.<p>

Until an unfortunate water shortage fell onto Yao's neighborhood one week- a week that Kiku happened to be visiting.

The call peeved Yao for a few minutes before the realization struck him; it was the perfect chance to take a bath with his beloved! To see that body, wet and bare, covered in tiny bubbles that left plenty of room for the imagination... yes, something had to be done about this, and quickly.

"Kiku," the elder interrupted the younger, who was watching a television program he only half understood. "A neighbor just called- something about a water pipe break... anyway, point is, they're fixing it now and we'll have to bathe together until plumbing is back to normal." He tried to make himself sound bored, but it was admittedly more exciting the more he imagined what would be occuring later...

Without missing a beat, Kiku turned around and stated "I will not."

This made Yao fume. "Don't be unreasonable!" he shouted, stepping closer to the stoic one. "We've been seeing each other for _years_, and I've seen more than enough of you to be able to share a bath with you-"

"I know," Kiku cut in, "but still. I will not. You know how I value my alone time in the bath."

This was all too suspicious. The circumstances were out there, yet the Japanese man still refused- then, another realization struck Yao. "Kiku... are you afraid I'll do naughty things to you in the bath?"

His question was answered with a tint of red on Kiku's cheeks, which made the Chinese man smile. He strode to the other side of the chair his lover was sitting on and perched himself there, draping his arms around the slender shoulders next to him. "Wouldn't you like that, though? You _love_ it when I do those things in the bedroom..."

"Those are two different places," Kiku coughed, scooting away from Yao and shielding his face with some hair hanging lower than usual. "If we were... intimate in the bath, the water would be ruined."

Yao seemed to ponder this, and eventually nodded in acceptance, to Kiku's surprise. "You're right. Tonight, when we bathe, I will be modest."

That was a blatant lie.

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><p>Later that evening, Kiku found himself clinging onto the sides of Yao's bathtub for dear life, the other's cock buried into him, pushing and pulling in and out, just as it would be if they were in the bedroom. The water slicked both of their bodies all over, so keeping balance was tricky, but luckily, no lubricant was needed for either men. Hearing the splashing of the contents of the tub spilling out and around their moans and cries of names was somehow music to their ears, and both nations reached climax more quickly than normal. Their seed filled the water, but neither cared; the situation was exhausting on their old bodies, so they napped in the tub until the cold woke them. Then, they made way to the bedroom and slept the rest of the night away, still dripping and nude.<p>

After the incident, Kiku learned to thoroughly enjoy and look forward to bathing with Yao.

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><p>Yao's a big fat liar.<p>

No notes this time! I hope you enjoyed it, and I promise I'll try to be more prompt with my updates from now on! Reviews make me smile, just so you know.


	22. Slumber

Hey there, readers! I'm back with another update. It's very fluffy. A lot of my writing is, now that I think about it... maybe I should work on my angst/smut/etc. Oh well. I hope you like this drabble, which is titled _Slumber!_ :)

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><p>It wasn't normal for Kiku to go to bed before Yao. Typically, they'd turn in at the same time, or the elder would get tired before the younger and fall asleep in their large decorated bed first. However, some unknown factor kept Kiku up all night one night and did not permit him to nap the day following, so Yao sent him to take a bath and go to bed immediately after dinner with a stern, yet loving demand. An argument would be futile in the Japanese man's exhausted state, so he obeyed orders as best as he could while he could still walk a few steps without wanting to take a break. For the first time since he could remember, Honda Kiku went to bed before sunset.<p>

Yao eventually decided that he'd had enough of the news (of course, he was proud of his athletes representing the country well in London, but it was getting late) and went to join his love in their shared room. He was quiet walking down the hall, bare feet moving across the floor with possibly unnecessary grace (since he was almost positive that the other wouldn't be woken by any slight sounds), but he couldn't help the noise that escaped him upon his first glance at the man already in bed.

The only light in the room was the moon, complete with the legendary rabbit, illuminating a rare sight: Kiku, uncovered, sprawled out over almost the entire mattress. Rare in the aspect that the usually reserved nation never slept like this, even while living with Yao. His usual position was to be curled on his side, facing the wall, as if he had something to hide in his slumber just as he did while he was awake. The day must have worn him out far too much to achieve this, however, so his half-conscious brain settled for a much more open way of sleeping- on his back, one arm over his head, the other at his side, and legs spread open just slightly.

It was a Kiku that Yao had rarely seen. The sleeping Japanese man didn't look nervous or guarded; he looked almost completely at peace. The Chinese man briefly thought that he was exhausted himself and was imagining things, but upon closer inspection, it was, in fact, reality. He approached the bed even more quietly than he had been approaching the room, eyes focused on his companion the entire time, until the view got better and he began to notice more.

A small part of Kiku's night shirt was lifted past the waistband of his pants and underwear, exposing a bit of scarred stomach flesh. His mouth was open a centimeter or two, and tiny breaths could be heard coming in and out of it. The hand attached to his arm remaining at his side clutched the bed sheets lightly, leaving the slightest fingernail marks in the silk. His toes would twitch every few seconds, but not violently, bringing on the assumption that he was having a dream rather than a nightmare. He had a habit of twitching in his sleep like this, Yao knew that much, but it was never this relaxed. In hindsight, while Kiku was awake, _none_ of his mannerisms we ever this relaxed.

Perplexing yet relieving, Yao observed Kiku until he felt he could stand no longer. Then, he took up the remaining space on the bed and joined the nation in slumber, gladly sharing the peace.

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><p>I really have nothing to say, other than this is a lot of description and no dialogue. Like I said, very fluffy. I'm not entirely sure why I wrote it.<p>

Reviews are appreciated!


	23. Origin

Hi everyone! :D It's been a while... yeah, sorry about that. I hope I come bearing something you'll enjoy! This is one of the longest pieces I've written, actually. It's called _Origin_, and tells a story of a little boy who had a tough upbringing, but eventually becomes someone we all love dearly... Mr. Japan himself, Kiku Honda! Bear in mind that this isn't canon; rather, it's an alternative story that my significant other and I thought of. No bamboo forest in this story.

**Weeeell... if I owned Hetalia, this is what would've actually happened.** Happy reading!

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><p>Very few nations know exactly how they came to be. Some were born to mortals, only to be abandoned later and chosen by a divine spirit to become the living embodiment of their country; some spawned from nothing, out of nowhere, as if on cue with the beginning of their history, taking on their role immediately with little to no guidance. Many believed the latter to be true in their case, but none of them could be sure what their true origin was.<p>

A series of recurring dreams led Kiku, the physical, human-like representation of Japan, to believe that he had a life prior to the one he lived as a nation. Prior to meeting Yao, China, his whole world and reason. Someone in the same situation as him who would soon become a teacher, brother, friend, and later, a lover.

_A small child wearing dirty, ragged clothes pads barefoot through a busy neighborhood. Malnourished and dehydrated. Cropped black hair that hadn't been washed for a week, maybe more. No parents or any care in sight; the boy was alone. Lost. Scared._

_Something in the distance catches his attention- blue. Water gleams before his eyes for the first time since he'd began walking, and he runs to it. He weaves his way through a crowd of tall men brandishing swords and women holding three or four baskets each. Some of them have fish in them; the boy can smell, but is in too much of a hurry to stop and try to get one. The water is getting closer. So close, he can feel it on his skin, soaking his filthy hair and clothes, leaving him on the brink of euphoria. His stomach growls. Bath first, food next, he tells himself. _

_Finally, the child reaches his destination: a low, hastily-built wooden dock. A ship sailed off in the distance while another one approached, most likely carrying more men with swords and women with baskets. Newcomers flooded every village daily, but the boy didn't see many of them in his. They occupied the nicer areas, bringing their properly dressed and fed children along, almost as if to mock everyone else. However, those children and their parents wasted their time on the water instead of in it, the child reasoned. It was a shame that they sat idly on a boat for long periods of time when they could have done as the young boy would soon be doing- bathing in warm, wonderful water, feeling his troubles wash away one by one._

_He sits on the edge of the dock and looks out for a few seconds, the sun setting in oranges and reds over the sea. After snapping out of the quick trance, the child prepares to lift his weight off of the dock into the water below him. His toes wiggle in anticipation, a breeze blows across his face, he counts down in his head..._

_It's deeper than he expected. He can't swim. Joy quickly turns to panic and he yells, thrashes around, attempts to bring himself back to the surface. Breathing grows harder and harder as air is replaced with water, and his clothes weigh him down, but he's no longer conscious enough to think to remove them. Death is biting at his ankles. He's never, ever been this scared..._

_And suddenly, he closes his eyes and stops trying. With no one around to witness it, his small body sinks, lifeless, like a leaf falling from a tree._

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><p>Kiku decides he's held it in and mulled over it long enough. The boy in his dream looked eerily similar to him when he was a child, and his origin had gone unknown for nearly three thousand years; it was time he found something, and if anyone had answers, it would be Yao. Approaching the subject wasn't terribly difficult...<p>

"Hmm... well, I found you sitting on a dock, soaking wet and so unhappy-looking. It was very lucky, though, I think! Before I got off of my ship, I had such a strong feeling that something special was out there on that dock for me... and it turns out it was you! I knew right away that you were a nation, so I scooped you up in my arms, got you fed and properly clothed, and you were back home with me on the next boat!"

... but the realization hits him hard.

He manages to hold in his reaction for a few minutes, to think it over more. The images swirl around in his head, flashing familiar colors of the main character in his dreams... the little boy with dirty hair and clothes, starving, alone... was him.

"_Kuso_."

Yao is stunned. Kiku never curses, and the word sounds poisonous leaving the younger's mouth and entering the elder's ears. His fists are clenched and his body is shaking slightly; the word escapes a few more times. Yao's first instinct is to console his boyfriend... and find out why he's upset. "What's wrong all of a sudden, Kiku?" he asks, taking the younger man in his arms. "I thought it was a nice story- a true one, too!"

Kiku leans against the other, attempting to even his breathing and cease his trembling. "Last night... and several times before, actually... I-I have had a dream about a little boy wandering around a city all by himself, dirty and hungry and... scared." His hand finds Yao's, grips onto it tightly. Yao squeezes back reassuringly. "Then, he sees something he finds truly amazing: water. Lots of it. He sits on a dock, readies himself to jump in, so excited to wash all of the filth from his body... but he can't swim. The water is too deep. He drowns." Kiku hangs his head; Yao brings his free hand up to pet his hair.

"I think... I think that boy was me, Yao. Before I became a nation. Before I met you."

Once again, the Chinese man is shocked. Kiku's origin had come to him in a dream, so easily, after two millennia of not knowing. His Kiku was one of few nations to discover who, or what, they were prior to beginning their immortal life. It must liberating... and terrifying.

"I was an orphan," Kiku says suddenly, voice quivering. "I had no home, no food, no family... my mother was probably a prostitute and left me to die right after I was born. And then, I throw myself into the ocean and drown, only to be brought back damned for eternity! Well," he raises his head and looks up to the ceiling, almost as if he's speaking to the heavens, "my mother who died long ago, whichever god decided to save me... here I am. Your mistake."

"Kiku," Yao interjects, grabbing Kiku's chin with three fingers and pulling it down to initiate eye contact. A fire ignites in his soul; he will not have the man he loves more than anything putting himself down for something he cannot control. "You are _no_ mistake. You are a gift. The greatest gift I have ever received, in fact." The older man smiles. "I want to thank the higher being that gave you to me, lifted you out of the ocean, tied that red string around your ankle, and put us on that dock on the same day." After sliding his hand over to cup Kiku's cheek, Yao initiates a quick, soft kiss.

"Not just to me, but to everyone else... you are a gift."

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><p><em>kuso<em> - "shit" in Japanese. Oooh, Kiku. You have a potty mouth.

Thanks for reading, and hopefully I'll be back soon with more!


	24. Late

I'm back again, and I come bearing fluff! This is called _Late_, and in it I do something I'm not really used to: focus more on Yao rather than Kiku! Since I'm a Kiku roleplayer, writing him comes more natural than writing Yao... but I think (hope) I did everyone's favorite Chinese man justice. :)

**If I owned Hetalia, there would be no such thing as a hiatus.** Enjoy!

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><p>It was 2:16 in the morning. Wang Yao was sound asleep (he was arguably the hardest nation to get out of bed once he'd settled in), until a twinge in his stomach forced his eyes open and his body in an upright position. His bladder was beyond full and was threatening to give out.<p>

"Gotta pee," the Chinese man said to himself, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and scuttling to the bathroom, bare feet meeting ancient wooden floors. Tama, Kiku's precious bobtail, wove in between Yao's legs as he stood before the toilet and relieved himself.

"C'mere, itty bitty kitty," he cooed, bending forward and lifting the cat into his arms after washing his hands. "Why aren't you in bed, sleepy head? You always sleep with me and Kiku..." With Tama in tow, Yao walked back to the bedroom with a clear mind and an empty bladder. However, upon reaching their destination, man and cat found Kiku's side of the bed to be empty. Tama let out a small mewl in question.

"I didn't notice Kiku hadn't come to bed... hm. Let's go find him, Tama!" After setting his companion down on the ground, both he and Yao set off to find Kiku. It didn't take them long; a light in the sitting room and a loud, boisterous voice coming out of computer speakers revealed the small Japanese man hovering over his laptop, participating in a video chat with Alfred. Pochi, Kiku's beloved pet dog, slept comfortably in his master's lap. The American on the other end of the call was chatting on and on about something completely pointless, Yao was sure. He had no remorse when it came to interrupting.

As quietly as possible, the elder tiptoed over to where the younger was sitting, leaned in behind him, and simply cleared his throat.

Kiku gasped, turned a dark shade of red, and threw his hands up, effectively waking Pochi from his slumber and sending him off of the couch as he proceeced to run around the room and bark. "Y-Yao!" he exclaimed, breath heavy and head turned toward his lover. "I... I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you earlier, but Al-kun and I had scheduled a webcam session tonight. We have both been busy, but finally found some time, and it worked in his timezone and mine... s-sorry." On the screen, Alfred grinned and waved at the other half of the Asian couple.

"Hey, Yao! Sorry I'm keepin' your boyfriend from ya. I'll give 'em back soon... maybe." Unamused, Yao stuck his middle finger up directly in front of the camera. "Aha, come on, now! Keeks, control him, man!"

_Keeks?_ Yao thought. _That pig, giving __**my **_Ju Hua _a pet name..._

"Al-kun, I am afraid I'll have to end our call now. It is late, and I did neglect to inform Yao that we were going to do this..."

"Fine, dude. Whatever you want," Alfred replied to his best friend, good spirit laced through his voice. "I'll text ya and we can do this another time! Sorry 'bout the trouble."

"No need to apologize," Kiku said, "it was my fault... ah, very well. Goodnight, Al-kun."

"Later, Keeks!"

With a click of the mouse, Alfred's face disappeared and Kiku began to shut his laptop down. "I am sorry, Yao... he is very fond of talking to me, for some reason."

"It's alright," Yao responded with a lazy wave of his hand. "I wouldn't have known if I hadn't gotten up to use the bathroom. Aiyaa... now let's get to bed." After stretching and cracking a few joints, the long-haired nation haphazardly flopped onto the couch Kiku was still sitting on, immediately cuddling the other.

"Ah! Yao, what are you doing?!"

"Bed," Yao returned, snaking his arms around Kiku's tiny waist. "Sleep on the couch." His eyes began to droop as he nuzzled the other's shoulder, sighing contentedly as he received the physical contact he desired. It felt good, and Kiku was quickly growing exhausted... so he found himself unable to refuse.

"Fine," he said, "but sit up. Just for a second." When Yao oblidged, Kiku leaned over to the side of the couch and grabbed two throw pillows, setting one behind him to support his back and the other on his lap. "Alright, lie back down and put your head here. We do not want to be sore in the morning."

Yao's smile was so endearing that Kiku couldn't help himself; before he could get settled, the Chinese man was pulled into an equally endearing embrace. "You are _so_ cute," he heard the Japanese man mumble, which caused him to smile even more.

"Thank you, Kiku," he said, placing a kiss on a head of black hair. "You are _so _cute too. Now, let's sleep." With the smile still on his face, Yao laid himself down with his head on the pillow in Kiku's lap. Kiku rested one gentle hand on Yao's forearm and offered the other to his companion, who took it in both of his own and held it tenderly. After finding a comfortable niche between the wall and the top of the couch for his head to rest, Kiku's eyes fell closed.

"Goodnight, Yao. I love you."

"Goodnight, Kiku. I love you too."

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><p>Cuuuuuute.<p>

_Ju Hua_ - "chrysanthemum" in Mandarin. Double cute.

I might write a little sequel to this. Actually, I'll definitely write a little sequel to this. Look for that very soon.

Don't forget to review! ... or not. That's fine as well.


	25. Dance

Pink petals fell gracefully onto green grass. Two men were situated on a soft blanket under the tree, quiet conversation and occasional touches here and there. Both of them wore beautiful, ornate kimono, one of them having picked them out and the other obliging with a willing smile. The wind of late spring hit every so often, prompting them to move closer to each other and brush arms, only for the shyer of the two to turn a shade similar to the flowers and scoot away. His companion didn't mind; in fact, he found it too cute.

They drank tea and ate cake while watching nature peacefully dance around them, her sounds and colors enchanting their ears and eyes. Suddenly, a petal landed on top of the shy one's head, sticking to his fringe, and, chuckling, the other picked it off and let it float away, a twinkle in his golden eyes. Blushing again, his partner moved to turn not only his head, but entire body, only to be stopped by a pair of slender hand peeking out from large sleeves. Their eyes met, locked, stayed unmoving for a time.

"Sakura trees are lovely, but you are far lovelier."

As they simultaneously leaned forward and let their lips touch, bodies meld together, hands reach out for something to hold, to cherish... nature continued to dance.

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><p>Hi! I left the note at the end of this since that up there is so short, I felt it better to get right to it. I received a prompt from <strong>Akasora-senpai <strong>that said:

"APH, ChuNi, kimono, slow and passionate kiss in the full-bloom sakura garden."

Sorry it's so short and vague (as in I never mention Yao and Kiku by name, I really hope you can decipher who's who, haha), but I do hope you like it! I'm adding it to Peonies and Chrysanthemums because, well, it fits the criteria of the series and I desperately needed to update.

Leave a review, and if you've got a prompt, feel free to send it to me! :3


	26. Cheer-up

Hi everyone! It's been a while, but I've been really slow with ideas. D: This time, I have smut, which hopefully makes up for the tiny drought! Of course, there's also fluff, because if you know my writing you can always count on me for! Haha. Anyway, happy late Valentine's Day, and happy late birthday to Japan! They were on the 14th and 11th, respectively! I actually wanted to write something for both of those things since I've gotten back into rping Hetalia, especially Nichu, and I've got a great Yao to my Kiku, but didn't have any ideas, so... yeah. Here's this anyways.

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><p>Kiku cracked his eyes open at his standard wake-up time that morning: 6AM. He let his eyesight focus to the natural sunlight that poured into the room and prepared to begin the long, arduous process of getting his lover out of bed, but moved back a little with a start when he saw Yao's amber eyes already fixed right on him.<p>

"Good morning, _qingren_," he said, tiredly and with a definite sadness in his voice.

Kiku's arms instinctively found Yao's waist and hugged, sensing something the matter and trying a quick route to comfort. "You're awake before me? This isn't like you. You sound sad, too. What's the matter, _koibito_?"

Yao's eyes slowly closed, and he leaned into Kiku's embrace, but didn't return it; his arms stayed to his side, limp and tired, as the rest of his body, and even his spirit, seemed. "I was watching you sleep to cheer me up. I've been up for a few hours just thinking, feeling sad about things..."

"Aah, I'm sorry," Kiku said, hugging his boyfriend tighter. "We all get sad about things. It hurts me to see you get sad since you do so rarely, though. Can I cheer you up in any way?"

The Chinese man re-opened his eyes and pondered this for a moment. "I want to just stay in bed and try to go back to sleep. Would you keep me company for a little? You look so beautiful when you sleep. It really makes me forget about some things."

A little bashful smile crept its way onto Kiku's face, but he nodded and pressed his nose to Yao's, who scrunched his up at the contact, but took it a step further and connected their lips. At first, it was slow and gentle, fitting to the time of day, but started to get a little more heated, particularly on Kiku's end, as he was the one to initiate the contact. He slid his tongue against Yao's bottom lip and carefully into his mouth, which was well-received and reciprocated. Yao's once limp arms had moved up and around Kiku's neck, fingers threaded in his hair, while Kiku's arms stayed around Yao's waist, plucking like a harpist at the waistband of his pajama pants and boxers.

After not too long, Kiku had pulled away and was kissing down Yao's neck. The blanket was pushed to the other side of the bed and he was trailing his soft lips along any area of skin he could find on his lover's body. Yao smiled; he knew what this was. He knew very well where this was going, how Kiku was going to cheer him up, and he found himself very much okay with it. Even though it was still very early in the morning, and the Japanese was still very inexperienced when it came to sexual acts, he was getting better each time they did something together, and it was just adorable when Yao complimented him on his progress and the pride showed on his face.

He barely even noticed how erect how he'd become, until he looked down to see his pajama pants and boxers being tugged off and felt cold air brush against his cock as it stood halfway up. Kiku looked up at him with those eyes, beautiful chocolate brown, and blinked lightly, his face flushed a brilliant pink color, as if to ask for permission. Yao sat up on the bed and nodded with a small laugh as if to grant said permission, then extended an arm to ruffle his lover's already slightly mussed hair. No words, just actions shared between the two men, and a shared understanding between them as Kiku lowered his head again and rolled Yao's shirt up to just under his armpits, exposing his stomach. He teased his fingertips over it, then lighty gripped onto bony hips as he kissed just over and under the navel. More kisses followed, some evolving into little licks and bites, sprinkling all over the pale skin of the Chinese man's midriff. Every move was sensual, but careful, almost like Kiku was afraid he was doing something wrong the entire time. Such was his method, though, and Yao was very aware of this fact. But no matter what he did, Yao always wound up enjoying it.

"Yao-kun, you're so lovely," Kiku said, ghosting his lips down his right hip to his right thigh, pressing a heavy kiss dangerously close to his erection. "So _very_ lovely."

Yao let out a shuddering sigh and tossed his head back. "You, my perfect flower, are much lovelier. But _please_ keep telling me how lovely you think I am with that lovely mouth of yours, and don't use words, if you know what I mean."

With no hesitation, Kiku nuzzled the still wet spot of Yao's thigh with his cheek and leaned over a bit to kiss the side of his cock, earning a gasp from the other. The Japanese personification lifted his head up and readied a hand at the base of his partner's cock, deciding to no longer waste any time before taking it into his mouth. He danced his tongue and bobbed his head, hand still maintaining a steady grip, while his Chinese lover grunted and moaned in delight, his toes curled up in pleasure and his fingers finding themselves in Kiku's hair again, genty pushing his head down every so often to encourage him. Sometimes, a murmur of Kiku's name or of the word "more" will come out of Yao's mouth, but he says nothing else and just continues to enjoy his lover's work.

Pulling away for a short break, Kiku looked up again at his boyfriend, wearing a coy smile as he still held onto his cock. Yao, eyes still closed, peeked down to see what was going on and smiled back, then leaned down to kiss the man's forehead. Again, they said nothing to each other, other than their brief exchange before. Kiku kissed Yao's tip before taking it back into his mouth, working it as he did before, but at a slightly faster pace. He shifted his body a little and moved an arm down to his own crotch, and he palmed himself over his pajamas while still sucking on Yao's cock. Yao didn't notice, and barely had time to, because he was coming seconds later, right into Kiku's mouth- and perhaps it was because of the fatigue, or the surprise, but Kiku took it instantly at the back of his throat as he pulled away and swallowed for the very first time. Blinking wildly, he stared up at Yao, who came up from post-cum nirvana and returned the gaze, sheepish grin on his face.

"Oh... you've never swallowed before... how was it?" he asked, readjusting his position on the bed. "Sorry I didn't warn you... I meant to, but I was really enjoying myself there."

Kiku shrugged. "It did not taste bad, and went down alright. I'm glad you liked it, though."

A neutral reaction was better than a negative one, Yao supposed; he smiled warmly and gestured for Kiku to come into his arms after pulling his shirt back down, an invitation the Japanese man accepted gladly. "Yes. Thank you so much. You're getting so good at that, among other things. It felt great and really cheered me up.

That look of pride that Yao so loved flashed across Kiku's face, and the former couldn't help but dust little kisses over the latter's face. "Ahh... good. That's all I wanted."

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><p><em>qingren<em> - "lover" in Chinese.

_koibito_ - "lover" in Japanese.

That's it! Hope you liked it! Also, if you have any ideas, concrit, whatever, leave me a review! I'd appreciate it greatly! Until next time- adieu~


	27. Beard

Well, I... I just... don't really know what to tell you. This was something I wrote for me and decided to post here, of course, because I liked it enough. Just picture Kiku with stubble. If you can't, I have a fanart for you to gaze upon, but unfortunately, he's shaving it. (Boooo Kiku keep that beard you look really good!) You can find it on pixiv under the ID 35974221 and the artist ID is 62362. Check out that cutie face and enjoy this self-indulgent drabble!

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><p>Wang Yao, and many other nations, received quite the surprise one morning at the start of a world meeting. Their fellow representation, Honda Kiku, already sitting in his spot at the table with his mug of tea and paperwork briefing what was supposed to occur, but likely would not, at their monthly gathering, had managed to do what no one thought he could, not even his boyfriend who often spent nights with him and witnessed his morning and evening routine: grew facial hair. The Japanese man sported a healthy coating of black stubble on his chin, cheeks, and upper lip- definitely not enough to be considered a full mustache and beard, but facial hair nonetheless. It aged him and framed his chubby, pale face that made him look much more serious than usual, and his icy cold stare would now become all the more threatening.<p>

Coincidentally, Yao had arrived right after Kiku, and so was the first to notice the new addition to his physical appearance. It scared him a little when he took his first glance; he thought that something was on Kiku's face and almost smacked him to get it off, but after reassurance from the frantic other that technically yes, there is something on my face but it will not come off without a razor, they both calmed down and Yao got a better look at it. And he found himself liking it more and more with each passing second.

"So... you forgot to shave one morning and just... stuck with it?" he asked, unable to quit staring as they sat next to each other, enjoying their short-lived time alone in the large meeting room.

"Yes. I wanted to try it for a bit, to see if maybe it would make me look less... baby-faced, more mature... something to that effect," Kiku explained. "Do, um, you like it?"

A smile worked its way onto Yao's face and he began to open his mouth, but before he could answer, it seemed as if half of the globe poured in through the doors in order to join the meeting that hadn't begun yet. Kiku jumped a little and looked over at his companion, which was the universal signal for 'please let go of my hand while other people are around,' a silent request that Yao always obeyed, even if it made him a little sad that the other was still so afraid of showing tiny hints of affection in public. They both prepared themselves for the onslaught of fellow countries coming toward them in greeting, Kiku scratching at his cheek briefly, which accidentally caused a huge direction of their attention to it, and in turn, him.

Unfortunately, most of the response was negative, if it wasn't neutral.

"Dude, it looks weird!" Alfred proclaimed. "Shave that shit when you get to your hotel tonight- if you forgot your razor, you can borrow mine!"

Arthur tsk'ed- presumably in good nature- and shook his head. "It doesn't fit your face at all. You're much better off clean shaven, chap."

"_Désolé, mon ami_, but... not everyone can pull it off," Francis crooned, running his fingertips over his own blond stubble. "Do not get me wrong- you look very 'andsome with it, just... you are much cuter without it!"

Ivan simply asked if he could feel, to which both Yao and Kiku cried "NO!" at the same time, and he shrugged and walked away with no further qualms.

Feliciano and Ludwig approached together (rather, Ludwig trailed after the bouncy Italian, who was making up a song about beards as he nearly danced to Kiku's seat), and, while the German offered no commentary, his companion voiced his opinion with unabashed realness.

"Kiku! You look like a silly little old man! It's so cute! I think you overdid it when you tried to look older if that's what you were trying to do... at least you're not graying!" Feliciano beamed and patted his friend on the shoulder, then went to find his seat. Ludwig gave Kiku, still reeling from the comment, a sympathetic look before following the oblivious man, then sat down next to him, just in time for Alfred to start the meeting and for everyone to stop shooting daggers at Kiku in the form of insults to his new "look."

For Yao, it both hurt and infuriated him, sitting next to Kiku and listening to people put him down like that. He considered several times interrupting, especially if it was a nation he wasn't too friendly with in the first place and didn't mind getting sassy with in his boyfriend's defense, but he didn't want to embarrass Kiku further, and it really was rude to butt into two or more other people's conversations uninvited.

Come to think of it, if everyone knew that they were dating, why didn't anyone besides Kiku ask Yao how he felt about the facial hair? He hadn't even gotten to voice his opinion on it yet. As the meeting went on, he started to look forward to break more and more when he'd get to tell him, honestly say how handsome and even sexy he looked with it. He wondered what it felt like to kiss him with that facial hair, as well, and grew eager for that as well.

When everyone was finally able to go on break, Yao and Kiku met for a snack in one of the smaller meeting rooms, where they could be alone. Kiku was still a bit downtrodden from what everyone else had said about his new facial hair, and was a bit afraid that Yao would hate it or make fun of it, so he said nothing as he prepared to sit down with the rice crackers he'd brought for their hour-long recess.

"Kiku, don't listen to them," Yao said, taking his hand and holding it with tenderness and care now that no one else was around to see. "You look so good with your new hair. I really like it."

Kiku smiled and looked up, gripping Yao's hand. "Really? You mean that?"

The other nodded and bent down to kiss the tip of his nose, but Kiku leaned forward and initiated a full lip-lock. The fine hairs of his stubble scratched up against Yao's face and created a rather unpleasant feeling, and he immediately pulled away to reveal red itchy splotches around his mouth. He frowned and rubbed at the spots while Kiku inwardly panicked, then struggled to not do so outwardly.

"So that's how it feels... well, necking must be worse, then..."

"I'm shaving it tonight."

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><p>Disclaimer: I've never kissed anyone with a beard, but a quick google search and my awesome imagination told me that's how it feels. Maybe not necessarily on the lips, but perhaps Yao and Kiku got a little into it. You know how it is.<p>

_Désolé, mon ami - _sorry, my friend.

Sorry I only got the Axis and Allies' reactions, haha. I'm not sure how I would've written everyone else. :( But that's it! Hope you liked it, and I'll see ya laterrrr!


	28. Early

Hi everyone! So, I promised a while ago that I'd write a sequel for Chapter 24, Late, and... it's finally here! Hoorah! Sorry it's... late. ;) Hehe. Anyway, hope you enjoy it!

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><p>It was 6:08 in the morning. Wang Yao and Honda Kiku, loving boyfriends to their own credit, slept on the couch together, the latter sitting up with his head haphazardly propped on the wall behind him and the former sprawled out on said couch with his head in his boyfriend's lap, until Kiku's internal clock forced his body into awake mode and a rattling ache shot through his neck.<p>

"Gah... Yao-kun, wake up," he said, tilting his head to the side in an attempt to crack the upper vertebrae, but only hurting it more. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the pillow that he attempted to use for head and neck support had slid to the left, and had become inaffective at any sort of support.

Yao was very, very slow at waking up normally, and this morning he was especially so, after having to wake up at 2 the previous night to use the toilet and find his lover not in the bedroom with him. Instead of complying and opening his eyes, he groaned in protest and pushed at Kiku's chest, then curled up more and let out an exaggerated snore to show that he did not want to be disturbed.

"Ah... so you're going to play me, are you," the Japanese man quipped, not asking it as much as outright stating it. He, too, was very tired, and very sore from his strange sleeping position to boot, so he was not feeling up to the other's laziness this morning. "Get up and at least let me take you to bed."

Yao had the audacity to let out a little laugh at that, but he still didn't open his eyes, not even a bit. This made Kiku want to push him right off the couch, give him something to be sore about, even though he got to sleep lying down on the cushions. But, he controlled the urge and just sighed in frustration, then nudged the other with a firm, yet caring hand. "Kiku stooop," Yao mumbled, "_ráng wŏ jìng yi jìng, hăo ba?_"

Kiku took a second to translate the Chinese into either English or Japanese, then sighed and just nudged again. "_Bù xíng. Măshàng qĭchuáng_," he replied, "_wŏde bózi, jĭbèi dōu hĕn téng._"

"_Jíshĭ nĭ shēngqìi, nĭ shuō pŭtōnghuà shuō de hĕn gōurén,__" _Yao said, another laugh escaping. Still not getting up, still not opening his eyes.

"Get up,_ bakayaro_, or I will switch to Japanese!" Kiku threatened, his thinly veiled anger becoming less thin and veiled by the second. Now he _really_ wanted to push Yao off of his lap and onto the floor. Knowing that Yao was not very good at Japanese, especially early in the morning, was somewhat of an advantage that he'd use if he needed to, but luckily, he finally saw eyes crack open when he glanced down; they were irritated and exhausted-looking, but they were open.

"Ahh, good. _Ohayo goizaimasu, watashi no ai_."

Yao grimaced a little- it was a phrase he recognized, but it made him feel like Kiku was going on his threat regardless. "Aiyaah. Your 'wake up at six every morning' stuff is so stupid! Why, Kiku? I want to sleep! We don't have work today!"

Still smiling from seeing his boyfriend wake up, Kiku put a hand on his forehead and stroked backwards to his full head of brown hair, then down to tuck some behind his ear (shoulder wasn't too sore, that was a good sign). "You can go back to bed in our room for a bit. I'm very sorry for waking you up last night, as I told you. In fact... I may join you. Sleeping upright like that really is not for me."

"Oh. I'm sorry, that was my idea," Yao apologized a little ashamedly, reaching for Kiku's unoccupied hand and holding it. "I'm not sore, at least... this couch and your lap are nice..."

"Well, that_ is _nice," Kiku quipped, pursing his lips a bit, but all in good nature. "Seriously, get off of me and go in the bedroom. I'll join you after I make breakfast."

Yao nodded and slowly sat up, his hair and pajamas disheveled from the way he slept, even if it was for a bit less than four hours. Kiku looked much neater. Before getting up and going to the bedroom, the Chinese nation leaned forward and kissed the other. It was happily reciprocated, and both men forgot their small feud before, if it could even be called that. Yao pulled away, all smiles, glad to see Kiku doing the same, and left the sitting room for their bedroom for another few hours of rest.

Kiku waited a few more minutes before he got up himself to make breakfast, but quickly discovered that he could hardly walk without cursing in his native tongue and tears pricking in the corners of his eyes, pain in his neck and back back surging like cars on the freeway. He had to pop four pain pills, quickly eat his congee and put Yao's in the refrigerator, then stumble into the bedroom, where he crashed next to Yao on the bed and slept until after noon.

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><p><em><em>Ráng wŏ jìng yi jìng, hăo ba?<em>__ - _Leave me alone.

___Bù xíng. Măshàng qĭchuáng, _wŏde bózi, jĭbèi dōu hĕn téng__ - __No. Get up right now, my neck and back hurt.

__Jíshĭ nĭ shēngqìi, nĭ shuō pŭtōnghuà shuō de hĕn gōurén___ - _You sound sexy speaking Mandarin, even when you're mad.

_Bakayaro_ - basically a very colorful way to say "idiot" in Japanese.

_Ohayo gozaimasu, watashi no ai_ - Good morning, my love.

Hooray! Look at all the Mandarin. I bet Kiku does sound sexy when he speaks it.

**EDIT:** Sorry I had to re-upload this! I got a really nice review from _Obsessed-Language-Freak_ with some Mandarin help and I changed it to reflect what they told me! It was a big help, and I thank them immensely for it! There's also a little change in formatting to make things flow better with the Mandarin, and now all the accent marks in the pinyin are there. If this is your first time seeing this... well, good for you. What I said about my little Mandarin helper still stands. :)

Sooo, I wrote the thing. It's supposed to be comedy... I think... and also fluff... which is what I thrive in. I promised it, and here it is! Thank you for reading, and I'll see you next time! :)


	29. Tattoo

It was just too impossible to ignore.

When they would shower together, even if there was no fooling around and just the simple task of getting clean stayed their focus; changing together in the bedroom every morning and night; during love-making, no matter what angle; and even when he wore his pants a bit too low and he'd stretch, causing his shirt to rise with his arms...

Kiku's proud chrysanthemum tattoo, situated on his very very lower back, just barely touching cheek, practically flashed itself at Yao, brilliant pink on pale, smooth skin. Just a single blossom, but that was really all he needed. In all it covered probably about four centimetres, enough for the Chinese man to work with, constantly teasing his Japanese lover almost every time they became intimate. His fingers knew the shape well enough now to trace it expertly, and he adored 'coloring it in' with his thumb- actually just rubbing it in circles while his free hand scrolled other parts of his body, grasped his cock, or what so. Nothing about the area was really too sensitive, it was just a mark of beauty for both of them to admire- one of Kiku's (artificial, but still legitimate) favorite features on himself and Yao's as well.

They sit upright in bed, both nude and Kiku straddling Yao's lap, kissing and petting. Yao's right hand hovers, decides at the last second to cup his ass instead, doing so somewhat roughly and eliciting a gasp from the one whom it belongs to. The man guilty of this crime smirks.

"You have such a cute rear, babe, always have," he coos, kissing his neck, collarbone, right on his heart. Slowly his hand moves again and an index finger is professionally outlining the tattoo. Kiku's eyes close and his already hot, pink face turns even more hot and pink.

"Love you," is Yao's follow up, finding the other's expression adorable, but soon makes it non-visible to him as he's bending the other over across his own legs, eyeing that lovely little ink spot on his boyfriend's body. "All of you, even the parts that aren't real." He kisses it. It's lower than Kiku's ever been kissed before, at least on his back... usually they steer clear of that area, both of them, Yao's scar something he is still not very comfortable being touched when naked, except when the other washes him in the shower or bath. It's new and it's amazing- his entire legs quiver while a hand lovingly strokes the back of his thighs.

"So beautiful." Kiku's face is pressed into the mattress, but the side is slightly open to air and he smiles at this, shaky but very much present. Two fingers appear by his mouth; he sucks on them a bit obediently, then pops them out after the other tickles his gums a bit playfully and sniffs, receiving a gentle 'bop' on the nose. Now Yao's hands run down his spine and more kisses, a few licks in between, even, appear on his tattoo, perhaps to serve as distraction- one hand steadies the small man by the forearm and the other, with the two saliva-coated fingers, enter him in lust-filled haste.

He bucks back a bit against the fingers, caught by surprise by them, and Yao laughs against his skin while his digits move like scissors inside his lover in order to prepare him. It hasn't been more than a week since they'd done this, but Kiku is still- always, somehow- quite tight. Yao nips gently on the chrysanthemum blossom, in parting, as he's adjusting the other's position again to straddle him and allow the two of them to face each other. Kiku finally speaks, for the first time since they'd begun.

"Yao... if you are so fascinated with my tattoo," but the thought never has a chance to finish; his lips are covered by Yao's and he's filled by the other's cock- he wants to cry out, but Yao's tongue is in his mouth faster than he can manage to do anything. Yao's hands are already on his hips, too, pushing him up and down and all the while finding some way to touch that tattoo. Kiku's hands firmly root themselves on to his shoulders, but they slip every so often as his arms feel weak from everything going on, moaning out the other's name loudly, unashamedly as soon as he is able, lips now attending to his neck.

Rubs and pinches and kisses all over, especially to his lower back, make Kiku come in no time, painting Yao's stomach white, and he pulls out in order to do so himself on Kiku's thigh- it's the closest thing that isn't the bedsheets.

After wiping them both off with a conveniently placed wet towel, the elder of the two laid down to his already languid lover on the mattress, arms immediately pulling him in closer and kissing his lightly swollen lips.

"You find the strangest things to be infatuated with," Kiku said, eyebrow raised in amusement.

Yao chuckled, and nodded, snaking his hand back to rest over the mark on his boyfriend's lower back.

"Yes, including you."


	30. Caught

Hey everyone! I've returned for a thing. I have another few ideas on top of this one that I hope to write + publish in the next few days/week. I hope you enjoy!

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><p>It was far too quiet in their shared home when Yao entered one afternoon, having finished some overdue errands, leaving Kiku to enjoy a bit of alone time for a while. The Chinese man had been gone several hours, picking fresh produce from the market downtown- he was picky, so it usually took quite a time for him to get what he wanted. Now he was home, but all but the birds and bugs outside were silent, including their pets. It was only strange because usually Kiku could be found in the living room watching television or playing soft music while cleaning or browsing the internet. The younger nation was currently nowhere to be seen, or even heard, however, and Yao was somewhat concerned. Where could he be, what could he be doing? After putting the groceries away, hopefully he'd have his answer.<p>

With all of the food put away, Yao set off to search the rest of the house. The first room he decided to check was their bedroom... and was exactly where he found Kiku in the most compromising position he'd ever seen him in- which was really saying something.

Kiku sat on their mattress, towel underneath him, pants nowhere to be seen, hand around his cock, pumping it quite aggressively. They lived together, yes, but had only been dating for several months and weren't very intimate yet... it was something Kiku feared and wanted to save for the right time, which Yao agreed to to keep his love comfortable. Still, even as nations, they were sexual beings and needed release every now and then. But Yao had invaded Kiku's privacy and there was no turning back, because they were locking eyes and...

"Yao... y-you're home, I..." The humiliation set so quickly it made Kiku's head spin, and all at once he wished he could evaporate into thin air and not have to deal with the backlash from his boyfriend. His hand was covered and sweat and lubricant, but he didn't care- both flew up to his face and tried to stifle an outpour of sobs. This was just the worst.

Seeing and hearing Kiku cry set off the immediate need in Yao to go in and comfort him- he wasn't mad or disgusted or anything of the sort, just somewhat upset that this was the first time since the Japanese man was very young that he'd seen him even remotely like this. He moved into the room and sat on the bed next to his half-naked lover, drawing him into his arms.

"Kiku, Kiku, Kiku... I am not the least bit mad, if that is what you are concerned with." He kissed the top of the stiff, trembling man's head and rubbed his clothed back. "I do understand being embarrassed, though."

Those sweet words in that sweet voice... how did Kiku get blessed with the perfect lover? His hands dropped from his face and though tears still fell, hitting his shirt and even his bare thighs, he felt reassured. Yao understanding and not being mad was all he could have asked for in this situation.

"And don't forget... whenever you're ready for more intimacy, past the kissing we already do... just tell me," the elder reminded his younger love, reaching up to gently wipe tears from his eyes and cheeks.

"I'm ready."

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><p>Cliffhanger? Sort of. I don't really intend on continuing on this, since I've already written my interpretation of their first time together. But yeah. Kiku is ready.<p>

Also, I unfortunately accidentally published the last drabble without the author's notes, because I'm an idiot and didn't save... all I wanted to say about that one, really, was that it was inspired by an idea/request from a friend of mine over on Tumblr. They said something about Kiku having a tattoo like that and I was like "yes... I must write this."

Until next time! :)


	31. Nightmare

Hello all! I return with pure fluff. Really, that's all this is. It's all I can write. Well, it's what I'm best at, at least- next chapter I'll try something different, and if it's fluff again then... I guess I'll keep trying.

Anyway, enjoy!

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><p>Late one night (or early one morning, depending how you look at it), nature called for Honda Kiku and pulled him out of a pleasant slumber. His destination was the bathroom, and he was completely fixed on it as he woke... until a force pulled him back down to the mattress. That force was Wang Yao, his lover whom he thought had been asleep, as he should have been.<p>

"Where are you going?" a groggy voice asked, as an alluring hand made its way to Kiku's chest and rubbed it, surprisingly sensual for the time.

"I have to pee," the Japanese man replied bluntly. "I will be right back."

With reluctance, Yao's grip loosened, and Kiku was permitted to get out of bed and do his business.

Upon return, Kiku was expecting to find Yao asleep, the wait being too long for him to handle in his tired state, but was instead greeted with piercing amber eyes and a cheshire grin, illuminated by moonlight.

Despite confusion and slight frustration, Kiku smiled back and climbed into bed to embrace his boyfriend. "Yao-kun, why are you still awake? It is late. Time for all the little nations to rest."

"I know. It's just... I..." He flushed in shame and averted his eyes; clearly, Yao was bothered with something, and Kiku didn't have to know what it was to not like it one bit.

"I had a nightmare," the Chinese man continued, softly and almost unsure. "I-I don't want to talk about it, really, but you were in it and-"

A gentle finger stopped him from going on. Normally, the ancient nation kept his nightmares to himself, not bothering to tell the younger because all he would do is fret about it and try to cheer him up. But being practically immortal was not easy on anyone, and sometimes it was best to tell the one you love most of your fears.

"It's alright, my sun," Kiku reassured after a bit of a pause. "We all get them."

"But... every day, I am reminded of how wonderful you are, and how lucky I am to have you, and sometimes it even gets to the point that I can't stand how much I love you... so having dreans like that makes me realize that I could lose that in an instant, and I can't, I just-"

Again, Yao was stopped mid-speech by a finger to his lips. Tears gathered at the corner of his eyes, but he listened to Kiku intently. "You won't, though. You will not lose me, ever. I promise. You might have a hard time believing me, but I mean it, and you will see for yourself another two thousand years from now when we are still together." Kiku smiled, leaned up to kiss away the doubt, and settled back down, closing his eyes. "Sleep now, and we can talk in the morning."

Yao nodded silently and let his eyes fall closed as well- he was much more tired than he realized.

"Thank you, Kiku."

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><p>I always write Kiku as the sad one and Yao as the comforting one, so sometimes it's nice to do a little switcharoo. It's a little harder for me to do sad!Yao since I write Kiku way better in general, but I hope this was still good, despite being short.<p>

Oh! To everyone who's been waiting for me to update _Maritime Melody: A Tail's Twist_, I'm sorry! I'm just super lazy. I have ideas that I'll eventually write and post here, I promise. For now, this is me acknowledging its existence. It's just that this fic is way easier to come up with ideas for since it doesn't follow a specific plot, which is why it's up to 31 chapters already. :P Thank you for understanding.

That's all! Please leave a review and tell me how you liked it. Bye!


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